Resident Doctors’ Strike Grounds Health Services Nationwide

By DIANA CHUKWUKA & STELLA JOHNSON OGBOVOVEH

• Wards deserted as resident doctors vow to continue indefinite action until demands are met

HOSPITALS across Nigeria have been thrown into disarray as the indefinite strike by resident doctors entered full swing, leaving thousands of patients unattended and forcing families to seek medical help elsewhere.

From Lagos to Lafia, Yenagoa, Bauchi, Calabar, Umuahia, Port Harcourt, and beyond, wards and consulting rooms lay deserted, with only nurses and a handful of consultants offering skeletal services.

Empty Halls, Deserted Wards in Lagos

A visit to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) revealed a grim scene — silent corridors and idle emergency wards where patients once filled every bed space.

At the Surgical Emergency Unit, only a few patients sat waiting, while relatives lingered helplessly outside.

“No patients have been attended to since morning,” said Olamide Adeleye, whose relative was awaiting treatment. “Yesterday, nurses could only give first aid because there are no doctors.”

A security official confirmed the situation, saying:

“Doctors are not working. If you bring anyone, we can only refer you elsewhere. The nurses’ hands are full.”

A nurse at the unit added that patients were no longer being admitted:

“We only stabilise critical cases before referring them to other hospitals. It’s heartbreaking, but our capacity is limited.”

NARD: Strike Remains Indefinite Until Demands Are Met

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) insists that the strike will remain indefinite until the government meets all of its 19-point demands.

According to NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, only two — a 25–35% salary review and accoutrement allowance — have been addressed, leaving 17 key issues unresolved.

“This strike will continue until our minimum demands are met,” Suleiman said.

In response, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare claimed that substantial funds have been released to settle outstanding payments and that negotiations are ongoing.

The ministry also announced plans to recruit 15,000 new health workers in 2025 and confirmed that Prof. Dafe Otobo had been appointed as mediator in the ongoing dispute.

Hospitals Nationwide in Crisis

In Lafia, the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital was nearly empty as patients vacated wards in search of care.
One patient, Gloria Namo, forced to leave mid-treatment for typhoid complications, said weakly:

“I was advised to go to another facility. There are no doctors here.”

At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, the once-busy complex now echoed with silence — locked wards, empty corridors, and only one patient in the male surgical ward.

Similarly, in Bauchi, services at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) were completely shut down, leaving hundreds stranded.

The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) also reported near-total paralysis. Only a few consultants were seen, while patients like Stanley Edem prepared to transfer to private facilities for survival.

“I can’t remain in hospital without proper care,” Edem lamented.

Patients in Distress Across States

At FMC Umuahia, patients awaiting surgery were left in confusion, while others too weak to move remained in their beds without doctors in sight.

An elderly patient, Mama Cordelia, spoke from her sickbed:

“We are suffering. There’s no doctor to even check on us.”

In Niger and Kogi States, consultants provided minimal coverage at FMC Bida and Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, but services remained skeletal.

The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) said it had activated emergency response measures to cushion the strike’s impact.

“We are doing everything possible to sustain emergency care,” said Professor Datonye Alasia, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee.

In Birnin Kebbi and Maiduguri, only nurses and consultants were available, while in Uyo, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) struggled under intense pressure as patients flooded primary and private facilities for help.

“Ninety per cent of hospital work is done by resident doctors,” said Dr. Gabriel Eyo, NMA spokesperson. “Without them, the system collapses.”

Mounting Fears as Health System Falters

The resident doctors’ strike — now in its second week — has brought Nigeria’s public healthcare system to a breaking point, exposing the fragility of a sector already burdened by poor funding and staff shortages.

While the government insists that dialogue is ongoing, NARD has vowed not to back down until concrete actions replace promises.

For now, hospital wards remain empty, patients are left in despair, and Nigeria’s health crisis deepens — one unattended bed at a time.