NARD has suspended its planned nationwide strike after Vice President Kashim Shettima’s intervention, offering temporary relief and reopening dialogue on doctors’ demands.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned nationwide industrial action, a move that has brought temporary relief to Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system and millions of citizens who rely on public hospitals for medical care.
The decision followed last-minute intervention by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who engaged the association’s leadership in discussions aimed at addressing their grievances and preventing a shutdown of health services.
The strike, which was scheduled to commence on January 12, had raised serious concerns across the country, particularly among patients receiving critical care in government-owned hospitals.
Resident doctors form the backbone of clinical service delivery in teaching hospitals and federal medical centres, making any disruption in their services potentially devastating.
According to the leadership of NARD, the suspension of the strike was not a cancellation of their demands but a strategic decision to allow room for further dialogue with the Federal Government.
The association made it clear that its patience had been tested over time due to repeated delays in implementing agreements previously reached with authorities.
The National President of the association, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, confirmed that the decision to suspend the strike was reached after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC).
He explained that Vice President Shettima personally contacted the leadership of the doctors’ union and gave assurances that some of the unresolved issues would receive immediate attention.
Dr Suleiman noted that the NEC unanimously agreed to halt the planned action out of respect for the Vice President’s intervention and in recognition of the need to avoid unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.
He added that while some concerns had been addressed, others required additional time, which the government requested in good faith.
The planned strike, known as Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0), had been announced by NARD on January 3 following what the association described as persistent failure by the Federal Government to honour agreements contained in a Memorandum of Understanding.
These agreements covered welfare issues, training conditions, and remuneration structures affecting resident doctors across the country.
The decision to embark on industrial action had been taken during an Emergency NEC meeting held on January 2, after months of warnings and notices to relevant authorities.
Many resident doctors had expressed frustration over what they perceived as a lack of urgency on matters directly affecting their professional and personal well-being.
By suspending the strike, NARD has temporarily eased tension within the health sector, but the underlying issues remain unresolved.
Health policy analysts note that repeated disputes between medical professionals and government authorities point to deeper structural problems within the Nigerian healthcare system.
Public hospitals in Nigeria are already under pressure due to limited funding, manpower shortages, and increasing patient loads.
A nationwide strike by resident doctors would have compounded these challenges, forcing patients to seek expensive private care or, in some cases, forgo treatment altogether.
Vice President Shettima’s intervention has been widely acknowledged as timely, especially given the potential social and political consequences of a prolonged health sector shutdown.
Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that the Vice President emphasised the importance of trust-building and urged all parties to prioritise national interest over confrontation.
Dr Suleiman also indicated that a detailed communiqué outlining the outcomes of the NEC meeting and the timelines agreed upon would be released in the coming days.
He assured members that the leadership would continue to engage with the government while closely monitoring progress on all outstanding commitments.
In his words, the association is willing to give the authorities additional time to demonstrate sincerity, but it will not hesitate to take decisive action if agreements are once again ignored.
This position reflects a broader sentiment among resident doctors who feel that industrial action has become the only effective tool for drawing attention to their concerns.
The suspension of the strike has sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians. While many patients and civil society groups welcomed the decision, others urged the government to seize the opportunity to implement lasting reforms rather than rely on temporary crisis management.
Healthcare advocates argue that frequent industrial disputes involving NARD and other medical unions underscore the need for a comprehensive review of how healthcare workers are engaged, motivated, and retained in Nigeria.
They warn that without sustained investment and policy consistency, the cycle of strikes and suspensions will continue.
For now, hospitals across the country remain operational, and resident doctors are expected to continue providing services as negotiations progress.
The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the latest dialogue leads to concrete outcomes or merely postpones another round of industrial unrest.
As Nigerians watch closely, the suspension of the strike serves as both a relief and a reminder: meaningful reform in the healthcare sector requires more than last-minute interventions—it demands long-term commitment, accountability, and mutual respect between the government and medical professionals.
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