DISCOVER MORE ABOUT ARD UDUTH, SOKOTO
About ARD UDUTH, Sokoto
About Us
History of the Association
The Association of Resident Doctors, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (ARD UDUTHS) serves as the foremost professional body representing all doctors below the rank of Consultant who are actively engaged in postgraduate medical training at Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. The Association brings together resident doctors from diverse specialities spanning the full spectrum of medical and surgical sciences. By virtue of its size, scope, and professional diversity, ARD UDUTH constitutes the largest organized body of specialist trainee doctors in Sokoto State. With a robust membership strength exceeding 300 doctors, the Association also stands as one of the most populous professional organizations within the state.
Established in 1990, ARD UDUTH has a rich history rooted in advocacy, professional development, and collective welfare. The Association was founded under the pioneering leadership of Dr. M. O. Oche as President and Dr. Duncan Umokolo Wada as Secretary General. Since its inception, the Association has been guided by a succession of 23 executive administrations, some of which served two consecutive terms, reflecting both continuity and stability in leadership. These include: Dr. Agwu Peter (2005–2007), Dr. Ismail Ahmed M. (2011–2013), Dr. Umar Muh’d Muktar (2013–2015), Dr. Sufyanu Umar Yabo (2019–2021), and Dr. Uzairu Abdullahi (2022–2024). The immediate past president was Dr. Murtala Bello Ibrahim, while the Association is presently under the able leadership of Dr. Mujitaba Umar, whose administration continues to build on the legacy of unity, progress, and purposeful engagement.
The organizational structure of ARD UDUTH is deliberately designed to ensure effective governance, accountability, and inclusive participation.
The Association is led by the President and supported by the Vice President, who not only deputizes the President but also oversees Housing Allocation on behalf of members.. The Secretariat, which serves as the administrative nerve centre of the Association, is headed by the Secretary General and supported by two secretariat staff, alongside the Assistant Secretary General. Financial stewardship is ensured through the offices of the Treasurer and Financial Secretary, while members welfare, an integral pillar of the Association, is coordinated by the Welfare Secretary through the Welfare Committee. The Public Relations Officer manages information dissemination and external communication, while the House Officers’ Representative ensures that the interests and concerns of house officers are adequately represented within the Association. Collectively, these offices function in a coordinated and synergistic manner to advance the objectives and uphold the ideals of ARD UDUTH.
ARD UDUTH maintains formal affiliations with its parent and umbrella professional bodies. Chief among these is the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), a nationwide federation of institution-based resident doctors’ associations, which provides a unified platform for advocacy, policy engagement, and professional solidarity across Nigeria. The Association is also affiliated with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the apex professional body for all medical doctors in the country, thereby aligning its activities with national professional standards and ethical frameworks.
Guided by a shared vision of unity, professionalism, and collective progress, ARD UDUTH remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the interests of its members, promoting excellence in residency training, and contributing meaningfully to healthcare delivery within Sokoto State and beyond. Our enduring mantra continues to define our identity and purpose:
“UNITED WE STAND.”
About Us
A core objective of ARD UDUTH is to cater for the academic, professional, and personal interests of resident doctors in the course of their residency training. The Association actively engages hospital management, training institutions, and relevant stakeholders to promote a conducive training environment that meets nationally and internationally accepted standards.
ARD UDUTH also works to protect the interests and promote the efficiency of resident doctors in the discharge of their duties. This includes advocacy for fair working conditions, appropriate duty schedules, adequate training facilities, and policies that enhance productivity, professionalism, and patient safety.
Recognizing that optimal healthcare delivery is closely tied to the wellbeing of healthcare providers, the Association is dedicated to improving the social and economic welfare of resident doctors. Through dialogue, representation, and welfare initiatives, ARD UDUTH addresses issues affecting remuneration, working conditions, accommodation, mental well-being, and work-life balance.
In line with its broader societal responsibility, ARD UDUTH is committed to seeking and sustaining improved healthcare delivery within UDUTH and the wider community. The Association promotes continuous medical education, ethical practice, teamwork, and quality improvement initiatives aimed at strengthening patient care outcomes.
ARD UDUTH also maintains a strong spirit of collaboration and partnership, co-operating with other professional bodies, associations, and organizations with similar aims and objectives at local, national, and international levels. Through these collaborations, the Association contributes meaningfully to health policy discussions, medical education reforms, and advocacy for the Nigerian healthcare system.
Guided by professionalism, unity, integrity, and service, ARD UDUTH remains steadfast in its mission to develop competent specialists while contributing positively to healthcare delivery in Sokoto State and Nigeria at large.
History of the Association
The Association of Resident Doctors, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (ARD UDUTH) was established in response to the growing need for an organized and unified body to represent resident doctors undergoing specialist training at UDUTH.
As Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital expanded its role as a major tertiary healthcare and training institution in North-Western Nigeria, the number of resident doctors increased across various medical and surgical specialties. This growth highlighted the necessity for a structured association that could address common challenges related to residency training, welfare, professional development, and engagement with hospital management.
ARD UDUTH was therefore formed to provide a formal platform through which resident doctors could collectively express their concerns, protect their professional interests, and contribute constructively to institutional development. From its inception, the Association aligned itself with the broader ideals of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) nationwide, while remaining responsive to the unique needs and realities of UDUTH.
Over the years, ARD UDUTH has played a pivotal role in advocacy, dialogue, and reforms aimed at improving residency training programs, working conditions, and healthcare delivery within the hospital. The Association has also been instrumental in organizing academic programs, seminars, workshops, and social activities that foster professional excellence, unity, and camaraderie among resident doctors.
Through successive leaderships, ARD UDUTH has continued to evolve, strengthening its governance structures, expanding its welfare initiatives, and deepening its engagement with key stakeholders in the health sector. Today, the Association stands as a respected voice for resident doctors in UDUTH, committed to upholding high professional standards and contributing meaningfully to the advancement of healthcare and medical education in Nigeria.
Vision
To be a leading resident doctors’ association that promotes excellence in postgraduate medical training, professional welfare, and quality healthcare delivery through unity, advocacy, and service.
Mission
To represent, protect, and advance the interests of resident doctors at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto by fostering a conducive training environment, promoting professional efficiency, improving social and economic welfare, advocating for high standards of healthcare delivery, and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the healthcare system.