The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned that a nationwide shutdown of medical services could occur because the Federal Government has failed to implement a previously signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In a statement, NARD Secretary‑General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim cautioned that the country is on the brink of a total, indefinite, comprehensive strike. He attributed this risk to the Federal Ministry of Health and the government’s repeated neglect of multiple deadlines for carrying out the agreement.
NARD suspended its indefinite strike on 29 November after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of the MoU, which committed the government to meet the association’s demands within four weeks. With that deadline now passed and no visible progress, the association has warned that it will resume a total, indefinite, comprehensive strike if the government does not implement the agreed demands.
The association emphasized that resident doctors are the backbone of service delivery in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, yet they are overworked and increasingly demoralized. NARD called on senior medical elders to intervene, arguing that their influence could compel the government to act and avert another nationwide crisis in healthcare services.
Patience and restraint have marked NARD’s approach, including multiple extensions and conciliatory meetings. However, given the lack of implementation of the MoU, the association asserts that resident doctors should not be blamed if industrial action resumes. A renewed strike could disrupt hospital services entirely, affecting millions of patients across the country.
NARD has appealed to distinguished elders to press the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government to take immediate, visible steps to honor the MoU. The association believes timely intervention can still avert the looming crisis, restore confidence, and prevent another avoidable disruption to healthcare services. As of now, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has not responded to these developments. The situation underscores the urgent need to address resident doctors’ concerns and prevent a disruption to Nigeria’s already strained health system, which poses a significant risk to patients and the broader healthcare sector.
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