Olayiwola Matthew
Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have defended their decision to commence a nationwide strike on Saturday.
NARD President, Mohammad Usman Suleiman, in a statement on Saturday, appealed to Nigerians to support its push for a better healthcare system, saying its ongoing struggle is centred on protecting patient welfare and ensuring that the country’s hospitals remain functional.
He stated that the association’s advocacy is about saving the Nigerian health system, not personal gains or political interests.
“Our demands are not selfish, neither are they politically motivated. They are genuine, germane, and patriotic, centred on the survival of the Nigerian health system and the well-being of every citizen who depends on it,” Suleiman said.
The association’s president noted that the quality of care Nigerians receive is directly tied to the working condition of the doctors who treat them.
“A resident doctor who is overworked, underpaid, and mentally exhausted cannot offer optimal care to the patient who needs them most,” he noted.
He emphasized that the issues at the forefront, including workload, remuneration, staffing, arrears, and infrastructure, are crucial to determining the quality and safety of patient care. Suleiman reiterated that the association’s push for reform is patient-centric, stressing that Nigeria’s healthcare future relies on meaningful investment in its medical professionals.
“A nation’s health system can only be as strong as the hands that sustain it. If resident doctors are broken, under-motivated, or forced to seek survival abroad, the patients suffer most,” he said.
NARD therefore called on civil society, labour unions, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and ordinary citizens to speak up and pressure government to fulfil agreements and prioritise healthcare.
“This is not a fight between resident doctors and government; it is a struggle for a functional, just, and humane healthcare system,” Suleiman declared.
He added that NARD always stand with the people, and “now we ask you to stand with us in solidarity and service to humanity.”
NARD’s latest communication comes amid ongoing industrial tension in the country’s health sector, with unresolved labour issues still pending between the association and the Federal Government.