Second Day of National Association of Resident Doctors’ Strike Leaves Patients in Frustration
By David Odama, Lafia
The ongoing 5-day warning strike initiated by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has entered its second day, causing mounting frustration among patients who are unable to access necessary treatment in public hospitals.
Public Hospitals Struggle as Doctors’ Strike Continues Across Nigeria
The impact of the ongoing strike by resident doctors, which entered its second day, has been particularly severe in public hospitals in Nasarawa State and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) in Kaduna. Patients have been left abandoned and frustrated due to the absence of doctors.
The situation is not unique to these areas, as public hospitals in other regions of the country, including the east, west, and north, have also been affected. Consequently, many patients have resorted to seeking treatment in private hospitals, despite the higher costs involved. Relatives and friends of those admitted in public hospitals have been seen transferring their loved ones to private facilities within their respective states.
The warning strike was declared by resident doctors last Wednesday following the government’s failure to address their demands. These demands encompass issues such as inadequate infrastructure, staff shortages in the health sector, non-payment of medical residency training funds, stagnant Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, and the failure of state governments to clear salary arrears owed to doctors.
A visit to the Nasarawa State-owned Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia revealed an absence of resident doctors, especially those on call, at their duty posts. Key departments such as outpatient, casualty, and maternity were locked, leaving patients unattended. Dr. Yakubu Adeleke Ademola, the NARD Chairman in the state, was observed ensuring that resident doctors adhered to the strike directive.
Patients have expressed their plight, with one such individual, Baba Hassan Audu, an 80-year-old suffering from a toothache, being turned away from the hospital and unable to afford private medical expenses. Another concerned individual, Mrs. Halima Tanko, urgently called for an end to the strike, highlighting the risk posed to her recently born twin babies.
The continued strike by resident doctors has exacerbated the challenges faced by patients seeking healthcare services in public hospitals across Nigeria. Urgent attention is required to resolve the issues at hand and ensure the prompt and effective delivery of medical care to those in need.
