Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigeria’s health system faces deepening strain as the nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) enters its 15th day, with the union accusing the Federal Government of deliberately stalling the long-awaited Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
In a statement released on X on Saturday, the doctors lament persistent government silence, declaring: “Dear Nigerians, doctors deserve a fair deal. We have waited too long for a CBA, yet the government keeps delaying while costs rise and morale collapses.”
NARD maintains that the crisis will persist until the CBA is concluded and the outdated Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) is fully reviewed. The union insists that its 19-point demand list is not only reasonable but vital for protecting the welfare of medical workers and the safety of patients nationwide.
The demands include settlement of arrears under CONMESS, release of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, prompt payment of specialist allowances, recognition of postgraduate qualifications and improved working conditions in federal health institutions.
Although President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Health to resolve the impasse urgently, the union says the continued delays are worsening frustration among doctors who are grappling with rising living costs and deteriorating hospital infrastructure.
Services remain severely disrupted across 91 federal health facilities, including teaching hospitals and specialist centres, leaving thousands of patients stranded as negotiations drag on.
NARD has warned that without meaningful action, the strike could deepen, further crippling a health sector already stretched by workforce shortages and surging medical migration.
Doctors Warn FG as NARD Strike Deepens Amid Government Delays
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Chukwu Obinna 
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