NARD Bans Marathon Call Duty, Limits Shifts to 24 Hours

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members to stop taking call duties longer than 24 consecutive hours, effective Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, announced the decision in an interview with The Press, stressing that the move is to safeguard doctors’ health and improve patient care.

“For too long, resident doctors in Nigeria have endured marathon call hours that endanger their health and compromise service delivery,” he said. “From today, no member should exceed 24 hours on call. Any roster scheduling back-to-back 24-hour duties must be rejected.”

Dr. Suleiman explained that the association had repeatedly raised concerns about unsafe schedules and called on the Federal Ministry of Health to issue clear guidelines on call rosters. He emphasized that the directive was not about refusing call duty but about ensuring limits.

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“We are taking calls — it’s our duty and we’re happy to do it. But no one should be on call beyond 24 hours. After that, a doctor must rest before resuming another shift,” he said.

He recalled the tragic case of a young doctor in Rivers State who died after reportedly working three consecutive days of call duty. “Even if not the direct cause, excessive workload and burnout are real contributing factors,” he noted.

According to him, the demand on resident doctors goes beyond call duty, as they also handle ward patients, clinics, and medication schedules. “This is why marathon calls are simply not sustainable,” he added.

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