Resident Doctors’ Indefinite Strike Grounds Nigerian Hospitals, Deepens Health Crisis

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Resident Doctors’ Indefinite Strike Grounds Nigerian Hospitals, Deepens Health Crisis

Nigeria’s healthcare system has been plunged into turmoil as resident doctors across the country embarked on an indefinite strike, crippling medical services in federal and state hospitals.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced the industrial action on Saturday, following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal Government. The association accused the government of failing to honour previous agreements reached after several rounds of negotiations.

In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, NARD said the decision to down tools was not taken lightly but had become inevitable after years of unfulfilled promises and deteriorating working conditions.

“We are fully aware of the pains this will cause Nigerians, but our demands are neither selfish nor politically driven,” Suleiman said. “They are focused on the survival of Nigeria’s healthcare system and the well-being of the millions who depend on it.”

Among the issues raised are poor remuneration, unpaid salary arrears, lack of adequate staffing, excessive workload, and the decaying state of medical infrastructure across Nigerian hospitals.

The doctors also decried the mass exodus of healthcare professionals to foreign countries, warning that the nation’s health sector is on the brink of collapse if urgent action is not taken.

“A health system is only as strong as those who sustain it,” the statement added. “When doctors are overworked, underpaid, and mentally exhausted, patients inevitably suffer. This strike is a painful but necessary step to rebuild a humane and functional healthcare system in Nigeria.”

The association urged the Nigerian public, civil society groups, labour unions, and community leaders to stand in solidarity with them by appealing to the Federal Government to meet their demands.

The latest strike adds to Nigeria’s long history of industrial actions in the health sector, which have repeatedly disrupted medical services and endangered lives. In recent years, resident doctors have staged multiple strikes over similar grievances, reflecting persistent underfunding and neglect in the nation’s healthcare delivery system.

As the strike takes effect, hospitals nationwide have been forced to shut down key departments, leaving patients stranded and critical services unattended. The Federal Government is yet to issue an official response, but pressure is mounting to avert what health experts warn could become one of the most devastating healthcare crises in Nigeria’s recent history.

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Chioma Ndukwu

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