The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised alarm over what it described as the worsening state of the country’s healthcare system, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and rescue it from total collapse.
In an open letter to the President titled “A Passionate Appeal to the Commander-in-Chief of the Federation,” dated October 27, 2025, and signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the association said Nigeria’s health sector had deteriorated to the point of becoming both a national emergency and a matter of national security.
The doctors said they were compelled to address the President directly after learning that certain officials had misled him into believing that all outstanding issues between the government and resident doctors had been resolved.
“Your Excellency, we are aware that some individuals around you may have assured you that the challenges facing resident doctors have been resolved. Respectfully, Sir, that information is not accurate,” the letter stated. “Our realities in hospitals across Nigeria tell a different story.”
NARD lamented that thousands of doctors continue to work under harsh and unsafe conditions, without adequate pay, equipment, or welfare support.
“Many of our members are yet to receive their legitimate entitlements, despite several signed agreements and repeated assurances from government representatives,” the association said.
The group emphasized that its members are not seeking privileges but the fulfillment of long-standing commitments made by the government, including basic salaries, allowances, and welfare packages.
The letter further read: “While many in privileged positions continue to receive their full emoluments without delay, the frontline doctors who shoulder the burden of patient care are left struggling. This inequity is demoralizing and threatens the very foundation of our healthcare delivery system.”
Appealing to President Tinubu’s “compassion, fairness, and courage,” the association urged him to personally intervene and ensure the implementation of the doctors’ 19-point demands, which they said would help restore stability and morale within the health system.
Among NARD’s key demands are the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund for eligible doctors, settlement of salary arrears dating back to 2014, full implementation of the new hazard allowance, and an upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to reflect current economic realities.
Other requests include payment of skipping arrears, replacement of exited doctors, universal domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act across all states, and release of withheld salaries owed to some members.
NARD expressed confidence that with President Tinubu’s decisive leadership, Nigeria’s health system could still be revived to deliver quality care and restore public trust.
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