Health
LASUTH-ARD backs NARD’s indefinite strike
The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors (LASUTH-ARD) has declared full support for the resumption of the nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), scheduled to begin on Monday, January 12.
Speaking at a press briefing, the President of LASUTH-ARD, Dr. Akerele Alaba, said resident doctors in LASUTH would fully comply with the directive of the national body to resume the Total Indefinite and Comprehensive Strike (TICS 2.0), tagged “No Implementation, No Going Back.”
Dr. Akerele recalled that NARD had embarked on a nationwide strike on November 1, 2025, which was suspended on November 29, 2025, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government on November 27.
According to him, the agreement covered 19 demands expected to be implemented within one month.
“The federal government has failed to fulfill its own part of the agreement. Many of the items have been totally neglected, altered, or only half implemented,” he said.
He disclosed that the decision to resume the strike followed resolutions reached at NARD’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held virtually on January 2, 2026.
At the meeting, NEC resolved to resume TICS 2.0, mandated centre presidents to hold congress meetings and directed centre-based protests from January 12 to 16, 2026.
This will be followed by regional and national protests coordinated by the NARD National Officers’ Committee.
Dr. Akerele confirmed that LASUTH-ARD held its congress on Sunday, with members fully endorsing the strike action.
He explained that NEC would only consider suspending TICS 2.0 after the full implementation of key minimum demands, including the reinstatement of the FTH Lokoja five, payment of promotion and salary arrears, full implementation of the professional allowance table with arrears captured in the 2026 budget, reintroduction of the Specialist Allowance, resolution of house officers’ salary delays, and the resumption of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process.
The LASUTH-ARD president highlighted several unresolved local welfare concerns affecting resident doctors in Lagos State. These include the abandonment of the Resident Doctors’ Quarters project, unpaid advancement arrears, exclusion of resident doctors from housing and pension schemes, non-payment of teaching allowances to registrars and house officers, and the unpaid December 2025 bonus.
He also called on the Lagos State Government to ensure timely payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), while appreciating the state government for its consistent yearly payment of the fund.
Dr. Akerele appealed to the Lagos State Government to urgently address these issues, stressing that the strike decision, though difficult, was taken in the collective interest of doctors’ welfare, dignity, and the sustainability of healthcare delivery nationwide.
He added that resident doctors in LASUTH were currently rendering full services but would comply with the strike directive once it takes effect.
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