Resident doctors across Nigeria have had enough. Fed up with months of unpaid allowances and broken promises, they’ve begun a five-day warning strike that’s already disrupting hospital services nationwide.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says they were left with no choice after the Federal Government ignored their latest ultimatum, which expired without any meaningful response from authorities.
Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku, NARD’s Secretary-General, made it official on Friday morning.
“The strike commenced at 8:00 a.m. today,” he told members in a memo. “All chapter leaders must ensure their members comply.”
It’s a coordinated action that’s been months in the making, with doctors across the country downing tools simultaneously.
The frustration has been building for weeks.
These doctors are dealing with unpaid allowances, salary arrears that stretch back months, and welfare issues that seem to fall on deaf ears in government offices.
NARD had given officials yet another deadline, hoping this time would be different. When that deadline passed in silence, the doctors decided enough was enough.
“We’ve tried patience, we’ve tried dialogue, we’ve tried giving them more time,” one source close to the association explained.
“The government’s silence speaks volumes about how little they value healthcare workers.”
Public hospitals are already feeling the pinch as resident doctors – who handle much of the day-to-day patient care – have stepped away from their posts.
Appointments are being rescheduled, non-emergency procedures postponed, and patients are facing longer wait times.
It’s exactly the kind of disruption nobody wants to see, but the doctors say they’ve run out of options.
This five-day strike is just the beginning, NARD warns.
If the government continues to ignore their demands, an indefinite strike could follow – one that would bring the healthcare system to its knees.
“This is our warning,” the association made clear. “We hope it doesn’t have to go further, but we’re prepared to take stronger action if necessary.”
The doctors are asking Nigerians to see beyond the immediate inconvenience.
“When doctors are properly paid and their welfare is taken care of, everyone benefits,” NARD argues.
“Better conditions for us means better healthcare for all Nigerians.”
It’s a fair point. Happy, well-compensated doctors tend to provide better care. Stressed, financially struggling ones? Not so much.
