By Najib Sani, Gombe
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, has announced its support for the nationwide strike action called by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), scheduled to commence on Monday, January 12, 2026.
In a statement issued to our correspondent on Thursday, the executive committee of the association expressed frustration over what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to honour agreements reached with NARD, citing persistent breaches, worsening welfare conditions and systemic neglect that have negatively affected morale and healthcare delivery.
The statement noted that the strike, tagged TICS (Total Indefinite Comprehensive Strike) 2.0, is driven by nine key demands. These include the reinstatement of five doctors dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; implementation of outstanding promotions and payment of salary arrears; and the implementation of professional allowances, with all accrued arrears captured in the 2026 national budget.
Other demands include clarification by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Office of the Head of Service on skipping and entry-level issues, the reintroduction of specialist allowances, and the resolution of house officers’ salary delays, among others.
“The healthcare system cannot function optimally when its workforce is consistently disrespected, overworked and subjected to broken agreements,” the committee stated.
The FMC Abuja doctors reaffirmed their commitment to professional dignity and fair labour practices, urging the Federal Government to urgently address the outstanding issues.
“This action has become inevitable due to the continued failure of the Federal Government to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) previously signed with NARD, despite repeated engagements, assurances and ample time provided for implementation.
“Resident doctors remain critical to the survival of Nigeria’s tertiary healthcare system. Unfortunately, persistent breaches of agreements, worsening welfare conditions and systemic neglect have continued to erode morale, compromise training and threaten the sustainability of quality healthcare delivery.
“We remain deeply conscious of the inconvenience this strike may pose to patients and the general public.
“We therefore call on the Federal Government to urgently demonstrate sincerity by fully implementing all outstanding agreements,” the statement added.
