Deputy Director and Head, Information and Public Relations
of the the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, made
this disclosure in a statement on Saturday.

The Ministry said that the move is part of ongoing efforts
to resolve welfare concerns raised by the Nigerian Association of Resident
Doctors, NARD, and other unions and to reaffirm the Federal Government’s
commitment to industrial peace and reform in the health sector.

According to statement, the assurance was reiterated during
a high-level meeting led by the Minister of State for Health and Social
Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, between the top management of the ministry and the
leadership of NARD, following the association’s recent agitations over welfare
and professional concerns.

This is coming after a nationwide strike that began on
Saturday, involving about 11,000 resident doctors across 91 healthcare
facilities.

The striking doctors are protesting
unpaid arrears, delays in allowances, and other welfare-related issues despite
earlier assurances from the government.

The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident
Doctors, Dr Muhammad Suleiman, had on Monday said the Federal Government owes
doctors and other health workers across the country an estimated N38 billion in
accumulated allowances.

Meanwhile, the statement noted that the government remains
committed to ensuring that the welfare, motivation, and stability of the
nation’s health workforce serve as the foundation of all health policies and
programmes.

“In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare commenced the payment of seven months’
arrears of the 25–35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary
Structure and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure to all categories of
health workers, with N10bn paid in August 2025.

“Following the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for
these arrears owed to health workers, including members of NARD, to be paid
expeditiously, as of Thursday, October 30, another sum of N21.3bn has been
moved to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System account, and
payment has commenced.

“In addition, the sum of N11.995bn is being processed for
release within 72 hours to pay other arrears, including accoutrement allowance.

“All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD in
accordance with the salary structure in the health sector.

“Additionally, the Federal Government has released N10.6bn
as of September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training
Fund, paid exclusively to resident doctors nationwide,” the statement said.