The nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the dispute over the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s claim of an N11.9 billion payout demand urgent accountability.
Development Diaries reports that the President of NARD, Muhammad Suleiman, has faulted the federal government over claiming that it is releasing N11.9bn within 72 hours for the payment of outstanding arrears and allowances to doctors and other health workers across the country.
According to an exclusive report by Punch, Suleiman noted that only about N500m of the said amount is meant for resident doctors.
Recall that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare recently announced that the government would release N11.9 billion to clear arrears, including accoutrement allowances, as part of efforts to address doctors’ welfare concerns and restore stability in the health sector.
This announcement came amid a nationwide strike by resident doctors, who on Saturday withdrew their services across 91 federal and state tertiary hospitals over unpaid arrears, delayed allowances, and other welfare-related issues.
Now, this development from NARD reveals the government’s persistent unwillingness to strengthen the country’s health system.
First, the figures presented by the government, according to NARD, fail to align with the association’s demands and suggest a gap in transparency.
NARD insists that the total outstanding bill for the 25–35 per cent ConMESS/CONHESS review alone was supposed to be about N48 billion, later revised downward to N41 billion, of which only a fraction has been released.
While the ministry announced the release of N11.9 billion within 72 hours, NARD challenges this, stating the actual agreed sum was about N6 billion, and that resident doctors alone stand to receive only about N500 million.
Furthermore, the strike has already impacted service delivery at scale. Over 11,000 resident doctors in 91 federal and state tertiary hospitals have downed tools, leading to the disruption of surgeries, outpatient clinics, emergency care and other critical services.
This is a wake-up call about how years of under-investment, bureaucratic delays in allowances, poor working conditions and mass emigration of health personnel have eroded Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The doctors’ 19-point demand includes administrative issues, improved safety and staffing levels, full implementation of allowances, and better working conditions.
Therefore, we support NARD President Suleiman’s call for intervention by Bola Tinubu and Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
The President should direct the ministry to publish a clear disbursement plan, provide stakeholder (including doctors’) verification, and commit to a timeline for the full implementation of demands.
While the ministry must open genuine dialogue with NARD, issue an official breakdown of recruited health-worker numbers, and commit to measurable improvements in staffing and working conditions.
Photo source: U.S Rick Scavetta
