Court halts NARD strike

‎The National Industrial Court in Abuja, has issued an interim injunction preventing the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) from proceeding with a nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Monday, January 12. The ruling was delivered on Friday, after the Federal Government filed an emergency ex-parte application.
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‎Justice Emmanuel Subilim ruled in favor of the Federal Government, stating that the planned strike action would cause irreparable harm to the national health system and must be halted to establish the ground for negotiations.
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‎The healthcare sector has been plagued by recurrent industrial disputes and a significant brain drain, with thousands of medical professionals migrating abroad for better pay.
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‎NARD, which represents the majority of doctors in government-run hospitals, had called for the strike to protest issues regarding staff welfare, unpaid arrears, and poor working conditions.
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The court orders the NARD President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleman and Secretary General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, not to embark on their planned walkout. The leadership of NARD will be meeting this weekend to decide whether to comply with the court order or challenge it.