By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to ensure the timely processing and payment of salaries owed House Officers.
The association made the call in a 19-point communique issued after its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Calabar, where a new executive committee led by Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko was elected.
The communique was signed by Idoko, President; Dr Besongngem Akotanchi, Secretary-General; and Dr Ashimom Timothy, Publicity and Social Secretary.
NARD also called on MDCN and IPPIS to immediately settle outstanding salary arrears owed affected doctors, warning that continued delays could trigger further industrial disputes.
The AGM condemned the persistent downgrading by MDCN of membership certificates issued by the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) and West African College of Physicians (WACP), and demanded an immediate reversal of the policy.
According to the association, the issue has persisted since 2020 without a satisfactory resolution.
It also demanded the immediate resolution of the non-issuance of Part I certificates by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN).
NARD called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to urgently intervene and ensure a definitive resolution of both certification issues.
The association further demanded an immediate resolution of the ongoing industrial crisis at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, and urged Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to intervene in the dispute, resolve outstanding issues and restore a stable working environment at the institution.
Expressing concern over the continued brain drain in the medical sector, NARD urged the Federal Government to establish a sustainable and seamless mechanism for the recruitment and employment of doctors to address critical manpower shortages.
The association gave the government a two-week ultimatum, effective October 1, 2026, to address its 19-point demands.
