The Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has maintained that its planned nationwide strike will begin on January 12, despite a court order directing the union to halt the action.
The association said the decision to suspend or proceed with the strike rests solely with its National Executive Council, which is yet to reverse the directive.
A federal court in Abuja had earlier restrained the doctors’ body from embarking on any industrial action following a suit filed by the Federal Government. However, NARD insists the order does not address the unresolved issues that led to the strike notice.
The doctors accused the government of failing to honour agreements reached after an earlier strike was suspended late last year, noting that several commitments were either ignored or poorly implemented.
While discussions with government officials are still ongoing, the association said the strike will hold unless clear steps are taken to meet its demands.
Meanwhile, resident doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital have declared full support for the strike, citing continued delays in implementing agreed welfare and work-condition reforms.
The planned action is expected to disrupt services in public hospitals nationwide if no last-minute resolution is reached.
