Structural policy issues not neglect is responsible for doctors’ strike — FG

  The Federal Government has said the ongoing industrial action by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is the result of structural and policy challenges within the health sector, not neglect by the administration. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare said the government has shown commitment to improving the welfare of health workers through recent reforms, including an upward review of professional allowances valued at about 90 billion annually. According to the minister, the revised allowances, approved in November 2025, cover call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances. He noted that the review was jointly negotiated with all health professional groups. He explained that previous negotiations were often fragmented, with different professional groups engaging the government separately, leading to conflicting agreements on pay parity and remuneration structures. This, he said, contributed to repeated industrial actions in the sector. The minister said the current administration has adopted a collective bargaining approach to ensure inclusiveness and reduce disputes. While reaffirming the governments commitment to improving remuneration, he noted that such reviews must be balanced against other national priorities such as education, security and infrastructure. On NARDs current demands, he said the associations request list had reduced from 19 to nine items, describing this as progress in ongoing discussions. However, he noted that some demands are constrained by existing public service rules and approved schemes of service. Addressing the demand for a specialist allowance for resident doctors, the minister said residents are specialists-in-training and that the allowance is currently reserved for consultants in line with existing regulations. He added that extending the allowance could trigger similar claims from other categories of workers undergoing specialist training. On reported delays in certification, he said the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations and that the Ministry cannot override the institutions policy. Commenting on the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, the minister said the action followed established civil service disciplinary procedures. He added that a ministerial review had recommended reinstatement for two doctors, reprimand for two others and a fresh hearing for one. The government assured Nigerians that it remains committed to sustained dialogue with health sector stakeholders to stabilise the system and prevent disruptions to healthcare service delivery. NARD represents medical doctors undergoing postgraduate training in teaching hospitals across the country and has frequently embarked on industrial action over welfare, allowances and remuneration concerns. The post Structural policy issues not neglect is responsible for doctors strike FG appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.