Doctors Fault FG’s Claims On Welfare, Says Ministry Misleading Nigerians

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has faulted the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s recent statement claiming the government’s commitment to doctors’ welfare and industrial harmony, describing it as misleading and inconsistent with realities faced by doctors nationwide.

Recall that the Federal Government, in a recent statement, said massive recruitment, payment of arrears, and reforms are underway to strengthen the health workforce’s well-being.

In a detailed rejoinder, NARD accused the ministry of presenting an “optimistic narrative” that does not reflect the true situation in Nigeria’s health sector.

The rejoinder, signed by its president, Dr Mohammad Usman, the secretary, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, and the publicity and social secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, stated that the association has 19 outstanding demands that have repeatedly been presented to the Federal Government, describing them as “neither new nor unreasonable” but as “minimum requirements for sustainable healthcare”. The federal government, in the statement, spoke of massive recruitment, payment of arrears, and reforms underway to strengthen the health workforce’s system and restore dignity to medical practice in Nigeria.”

NARD said, despite government claims of releasing over N30bn to offset arrears owed to health workers, doctors have received only a small fraction.

The association listed numerous unpaid allowances and arrears, including the 25%/35% CONMESS review, accoutrement allowance, promotion arrears, upgrade arrears, and salary backlogs, some of which have remained unsettled for over five years.

The group condemned what it called “unacceptable bureaucratic delays” in promotions and upgrades, adding that many medical officers have waited over five years for their legitimate entitlements.

NARD decried persistent salary shortfalls, ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 in the October 2025 payroll cycle, and demanded the creation of a specialised health-sector payroll platform “that ensures accurate, timely, and transparent payments.”

NARD challenged the government’s claim of recruiting 20,000 health workers in 2024 and another 15,000 in 2025, demanding disaggregated data on how many of them are doctors and where they are posted.

The association noted that Nigeria’s active pool of resident doctors has dropped from 15,000-16,000 a decade ago to barely 9,000-10,000 today, attributing the decline to poor remuneration, unsafe work environments, and delays in salary payments.

The association welcomed the release of N10.6 billion for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) but stressed that the fund “is a statutory right, not a privilege.”

NARD urged timely, transparent, and equitable disbursement of the MRTF and periodic reviews to reflect current inflation and training costs.

NARD commended the reinstatement of three of five doctors dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja (FTHL), but condemned the continued delay in reinstating the remaining two.

The association cautioned that the appointment of a professional negotiator to mediate collective bargaining “must not become another endless committee without deliverables”, urging that all agreements be implemented before the 2026 budget approval.

The association criticised the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for its re-categorisation of certificates from the West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges, saying the move has demoralised resident doctors and undermined regional training standards. NARD demanded the reversal of the policy and the inclusion of resident doctors among beneficiaries of the Specialist Allowance.

NARD urged the Federal Government to address these issues urgently to restore industrial harmony, stating that “our struggle transcends money. It is about dignity, safety, and survival. Nigerian doctors work in hazardous environments, often collapsing from exhaustion without recognition or compensation. The ongoing JAPA syndrome is not greed-driven but survival-driven.”