A wave of concern is sweeping across Nigeria’s healthcare sector following confirmation that doctors under the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will embark on a nationwide strike beginning Thursday. The decision, announced after emergency deliberations, stems from long-standing grievances including unpaid salaries, poor working conditions, and inadequate government engagement with the medical community.
Hospitals nationwide are expected to be impacted, especially public health institutions where resident doctors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Patients and families have been urged to make contingency plans or seek care in alternative facilities, as the strike threatens to disrupt vital services from emergency rooms to specialist wards.
Medical professionals have cited months of unresolved issues as the tipping point. While previous industrial actions have seen temporary resolutions, this time around, doctors insist they will not return to work until concrete measures are taken to meet their demands.
The Federal Government is yet to release an official statement regarding the impending strike, although sources suggest backchannel negotiations may be underway to avert a full-blown health crisis.