Resident Doctors Ground Hospitals Services As Strike Enters Third Day
The indefinite strike action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) across Nigerian hospitals has entered its third day despite federal government’s appeal and assurances of resolving the doctors’ grievances.
The strike has left many patients stranded, some wards empty, and consulting rooms locked. In some hospitals, only emergency and critical care units remain functional since the strike began at midnight on Saturday over years of unmet demands and poor working conditions.
At the Kubwa and Gwarimpa General Hospitals in Abuja, the walkways and waiting areas, typically crowded with patients, were nearly empty, except for a few nurses attending to emergencies.
By 10 a.m. at Kubwa General Hospital, only a handful of patients waited at the reception, many unsure if they would be attended to. Nurses and administrative staff were seen advising patients to “return when the strike is over.”
A mother, Habiba Musa, said she brought her three-year-old son, who had a fever, but was turned back after only basic checks.
“I was told that the doctors are not available, so the nurses only checked his vitals and asked us to come back. They said they can’t prescribe anything without a doctor,” Ms Musa said.
Another patient, Gabriel, who appeared visibly frustrated, said he had waited for over an hour without being attended to. The hospital’s pharmacy was open but minimally staffed.
At Gwarimpa General Hospital, the situation was similar. The Outpatient Department was quiet, and a few patients sat idly while nurses moved between wards explaining the situation.
The Federal Government had announced the release N11.9 billion to offset part of the arrears of salary and allowances of the resident doctors to woo them back to work, but the doctors declined, saying that the gesture was too little, too late.
