Resident doctors suspend strike, issue April 21 ultimatum to FG

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its indefinite nationwide strike, directing members to resume work from 8:00am on Wednesday.

The decision was announced on Tuesday by Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the association’s president following a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC).

He said the suspension was based on assurances received from the Federal Government regarding key demands raised by the doctors.

He said NARD decided to give the federal government an ultimatum of April 21, after which a strike action would be inevitable if demands have not been met.

The doctors had declared an indefinite nationwide strike over federal government’s plan to halt the implementation of the revised PAT.

NARD and the federal government had agreed on a revised professional allowance table after a prolonged strike in 2025.

The agreement included improved remuneration for resident doctors, covering call duty allowances, shift allowances, rural posting incentives, and non-clinical duty payments.

Although the implementation was initially scheduled for January 2026 and later shifted to February, NARD alleged that the government now plans to discontinue the process by April.

The association said the move undermines trust and violates prior agreements and demanded an immediate reversal of the decision and payment of all outstanding entitlements.

The doctors also demanded the immediate payment of promotion arrears and salary arrears for specific centres, as well as the prompt conclusion of the process of paying the 2026 medical residency training fund.