‘Doctors under siege’: Resident doctors threaten nationwide strike

By Chioma Obinna

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, on Saturday threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action over the growing wave of assaults, harassment and intimidation of healthcare workers across the country.

The association issued the warning amid rising attacks on doctors and nurses in hospitals and others health workers, accusing the Federal Government and security agencies of failing to protect healthcare personnel from violence, intimidation and unlawful arrests.

NARD disclosed that no fewer than 17 tertiary health institutions recorded cases of attacks on doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers within one year, warning that the deteriorating situation could cripple healthcare services if urgent action is not taken.

The latest outrage followed the controversial raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, Akwa Ibom State, where Professor Eyo Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgeon and Deputy Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee, was arrested.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation in the medical community and forced the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Akwa Ibom State to embark on an indefinite strike action.

The association also threatened legal action against the anti-graft agency, demanding N1 billion damages over the alleged assault.
However, in a statement signed in May and made available to journalists on Saturday, NARD lamented that hospitals across Nigeria were gradually becoming unsafe for healthcare professionals.

The association warned that unless concrete, visible and decisive steps are taken to halt attacks on doctors and prosecute offenders before the end of its 2026 Ordinary General Meeting, OGM, it would no longer guarantee industrial peace.

“If by the end of May 2026 OGM, concrete, visible and decisive steps are not taken to curb this menace and bring all assailants to justice, the NARD National Officers’ Committee and other constitutional organs of the association will not guarantee industrial peace after the OGM,” the statement read.

“We are, by this statement, putting the Federal Government and all relevant authorities on notice. The lives of Nigerian doctors and healthcare workers matter.

“An injury to one healthcare worker is an injury to the entire healthcare system. The time to act is now. Enough is enough!”

Affected health institutions

NARD said affected health institutions include the University College Hospital, Ibadan; Federal Medical Centre, Owo; Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu; Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka; Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara; and General Hospital, Warri.

Others are Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki; Federal Medical Centre, Jabi; Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin; Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto; University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu; Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo; National Hospital, Abuja; and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

The association disclosed that more than 90 per cent of victims of the attacks are resident doctors who suffered physical injuries, emotional trauma, destruction of valuables and lasting psychological scars.

“NARD leadership has observed with painful dismay that over 90 per cent of the victims in these attacks are NARDites.

“Even more heartbreaking is the fact that in most of these cases, victims received nothing more than mere apology letters, while suffering severe physical injuries, emotional trauma, destruction of personal belongings and psychological scars that may never heal.”

The doctors further decried what they described as a dangerous culture of impunity surrounding assaults on health workers.

“While some assailants were reportedly arrested and a few arraigned before courts, none have been decisively prosecuted or punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

“This failure of justice has emboldened hoodlums and even armed personnel to invade hospitals and unleash terror on innocent healthcare workers.

“Today, hospitals that ought to be sanctuaries of healing have gradually turned into battlefields and bloodshed zones.”

NARD said incidents that previously involved verbal abuse had now escalated into violent physical attacks and intimidation with weapons.

“What started as verbal abuse has now degenerated into brutal physical assaults, destruction of valuables, invasion of call rooms, intimidation with weapons and coordinated attacks on health workers on duty,” the association stated.

Confirming the notice which world be handed over to the government on Monday to Sunday Vanguard, NARD Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, described the trend as alarming and unacceptable.

“For the past few months now, almost every day, you hear of a case of assault or police harassment against doctors. It has become rampant,” he said.

“Recently in Akwa Ibom, security operatives who were supposed to protect citizens invaded a hospital and harassed a professor.

The hospital had to shut down for almost a week before the intervention of the EFCC chairman, who apologised and assured that the matter would be handled.”

He warned that healthcare workers were increasingly becoming targets of public frustration despite risking their lives daily to save patients.

“It is as if the same people saving lives are the ones society now pours anger on. This must stop,” Ibrahim stated.

The NARD scribe said the association was demanding urgent security measures in hospitals as well as legislative backing to criminalise attacks on healthcare workers.

“There should be legislative action so that anybody caught attacking healthcare workers and charged to court will be punished accordingly. That is one of the major things we are asking for,” he said.

He stressed that failure by government authorities to act decisively could trigger another round of industrial action in the health sector.

“This is a warning notice and ultimatum for something urgent to be done. If nothing happens, we will call our members again in the next few weeks to assess the situation and take further decisions,” Ibrahim warned.
According to him, several hospitals across the country have recently experienced disruptions due to similar incidents.

“University College Hospital, Ibadan, only recently called off its strike. FMC Owo and other centres have also faced similar crises.

“This problem is becoming rampant, patients are suffering and healthcare workers continue to face harassment. It is time for the government to take proactive measures so that innocent patients and health workers do not continue to suffer,” he added

The post ‘Doctors under siege’: Resident doctors threaten nationwide strike appeared first on Vanguard News.