Kaduna Resident Doctors Commence Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Welfare Demands
Kaduna, Nigeria, September 1, 2025 – In a move that threatens to disrupt healthcare services across Kaduna State, resident doctors have launched an indefinite strike effective midnight on August 31, 2025. The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Kaduna State chapter, cited the state government’s failure to implement key welfare agreements as the primary reason for the action, which comes just hours before the new month begins.
The strike, which officially started at 12:00 a.m. on September 1, follows the expiration of a two-month grace period granted to the government in June 2025. At the core of the dispute is the non-implementation of the 100% Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS 2024), alongside other unresolved issues such as payment of outstanding allowances, recruitment of new staff, and improvements in working conditions. In a statement signed by ARD President Dr. Richard Daniel and General Secretary Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi, the association declared, “The failure of the government to implement the said demands left the congress with no option but to down tools and resume its previously suspended indefinite strike.” This action aligns with an emergency virtual congress held on August 14, 2025, where members unanimously decided to resume industrial action if deadlines were missed.
The ARD, which represents resident doctors in state hospitals including Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, has directed all members to cease clinical duties immediately. Dr. Josiah Yakubu, representing the Barau Dikko chapter, confirmed the hospital’s participation, noting that formal reminder letters were sent on June 19, August 1, and August 25, urging compliance with a June Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). “We remain hopeful the government will show goodwill by fulfilling its promises. Our goal remains quality healthcare, which depends on fair treatment and proper support for medical professionals,” Yakubu stated. The association emphasized its commitment to dialogue but warned that services would remain halted until agreements are honored.
This is not the first time Kaduna’s resident doctors have resorted to industrial action. In June 2025, they initiated a warning strike that was suspended after government interventions, including mediation by the Secretary to the State Government and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA). A six-day warning strike at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital was called off following the signing of an MoU addressing manpower shortages and remuneration concerns. However, the lack of follow-through on these commitments, particularly amid Nigeria’s broader economic challenges like fuel subsidy removal and rising living costs, has reignited tensions. Similar disputes have plagued the medical sector nationally, with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) issuing ultimatums over unpaid allowances and salary reviews as recently as June 2024. Resident doctors, who handle a significant portion of frontline care in public facilities, have long advocated for the full implementation of CONMESS to align state salaries with federal standards, arguing that current pay—often at 59% of the reviewed 2009 structure—exacerbates brain drain and burnout.
The implications of the strike are profound for Kaduna’s healthcare system, home to over 10 million residents. With resident doctors playing a pivotal role in emergency wards and secondary facilities, the action could lead to patient discharges, handover of cases, and strained services in general and rural hospitals. In past strikes, such as the 2023 indefinite action by the Kaduna ARD, doctors were given 24 hours to hand over patients, resulting in widespread disruptions. Health experts warn that prolonged industrial unrest could worsen access to care, especially in a state already grappling with security issues and infrastructure deficits. The ARD has appealed to the public for understanding, while calling on the government to act swiftly to avert a full crisis. Next steps include ongoing negotiations, potentially involving NMA leadership, with the doctors expressing readiness to resume work upon resolution.
In essence, the Kaduna resident doctors’ indefinite strike highlights the ongoing struggle for equitable pay and welfare in Nigeria’s overburdened healthcare sector. For patients and the public, this serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for government action to prevent further erosion of medical services and to support those on the frontlines of public health.