Trending 
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned that the country may soon face another nationwide shutdown of medical services, following the Nigerian Government’s failure to honour a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) previously signed with the association.
In an urgent appeal to senior medical professionals and respected elders, posted on X(formerly Twitter) on Sunday and titled “Urgent Appeal to Avert a Looming Nationwide NARD Strike (TICS 2.0),” NARD Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, cautioned that the nation was on the brink of a total and indefinite comprehensive strike.
The association said the strike would be the inevitable result of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Government ignoring multiple deadlines for implementing the MoU signed with resident doctors.
NARD recalled that it suspended its indefinite strike on November 29, after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of an MoU with the government. Under the agreement, the government committed to meeting NARD’s demands within four weeks.
In a statement, the association said, “I write to you at a critical moment for Nigeria’s health sector and the medical profession. As revered elders, past and present leaders, and custodians of the values that have long sustained our noble calling, your voices carry unmatched moral authority and national weight.
“The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors stands on the brink of another nationwide industrial action -Total and Indefinite Comprehensive Strike (TICS 2.0)- triggered by the failure of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government to honour the Memorandum of Understanding freely entered into with NARD.
“This development is deeply distressing, not only because of its implications for healthcare delivery, but because it represents a breakdown of trust, sincerity, and good faith in government–professional relations.”
NARD emphasised that resident doctors form the backbone of service delivery in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, adding that they are overworked and increasingly demoralised.
It said recent developments showed the association’s patience and restraint, explaining that after suspending its warning strike, it issued a two-week ultimatum that expired without any meaningful response from the Federal Ministry of Health or the Nigerian Government at its last Annual General Meeting.
According to the association, the ultimatum was later extended by 30 days as a goodwill gesture, again without response, followed by an additional seven-day extension. It said this led to the commencement of TICS 1.0, which triggered limited engagement and eventually resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with clear timelines.
The association noted that more than 30 days after the MoU was signed, there had been no visible or substantive progress in its implementation. In that context, it said resident doctors should not be blamed if industrial action resumes, having repeatedly shown patience while government obligations remained unmet.
The association therefore urged senior medical elders to prevail on the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Government to take immediate and visible steps to honour the MoU, saying timely intervention could still avert the looming crisis, restore confidence and prevent another avoidable disruption to healthcare services.
It concluded by noting that history had shown governments listened when respected medical elders spoke, describing the situation as a defining moment to preserve industrial harmony, safeguard patients’ lives and protect the integrity of the medical profession.
