The Federal Government has commenced the payment of outstanding salary arrears owed to members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), in a major step towards addressing welfare concerns that recently pushed the union to the brink of industrial action.
The arrears, arising from the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), have started reaching affected doctors in centres across the country, with some beneficiaries reportedly receiving payments covering between one and six months.
This was disclosed in a statement to members by the association’s Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Ibrahim, who said the disbursement process was ongoing nationwide.
“The leadership of NARD is pleased to inform all members that payment of the outstanding 25/35 CONMESS review arrears has commenced,” the statement read.
According to Dr Ibrahim, doctors who are yet to receive payment should remain patient, as the process will continue until all eligible members are covered. He, however, noted that the August component of the arrears may take an additional one to two weeks due to administrative challenges.
Several resident doctors have also confirmed receipt of their payments, indicating that the process is progressing across different federal health institutions.
The latest development comes days after the association suspended its planned nationwide indefinite strike and gave the Federal Government a two-week window to address unresolved welfare issues, including arrears, professional allowance disputes and residency training funds.
The salary adjustment under the CONMESS structure, which affects medical and dental officers in government hospitals, has for years remained a major source of friction between doctors and the authorities. Repeated delays in implementing salary reviews and settling arrears have triggered several strikes by resident doctors, often disrupting services in public tertiary hospitals and worsening pressure on an already strained healthcare system.
Resident doctors, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s tertiary healthcare delivery, have consistently raised concerns over unpaid wages, poor working conditions and the increasing migration of medical professionals abroad in search of better remuneration and work environments.
The commencement of the payments is expected to ease tensions within the sector and may help avert another round of industrial action if fully implemented within the timeline communicated by the union.
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