The ongoing five-day warning strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has entered its second day, causing frustration among patients who are unable to receive treatment in public hospitals. The impact of the strike is felt nationwide, with public hospitals in Nasarawa State and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, particularly affected. Patients are now seeking care at private hospitals, albeit at higher costs.
Effects of the Strike:
Public hospitals across the country, spanning the east, west, and north, are facing similar challenges due to the strike. Patients are being abandoned by striking doctors, leading to overcrowding and unattended medical needs. As a result, relatives and friends of patients on admission are resorting to transferring their loved ones to private hospitals in their respective states.
Reasons for the Strike:
The resident doctors initiated the strike in response to the federal government’s failure to address their demands. Issues raised by the resident doctors include inadequate infrastructure, manpower shortages in the health sector, non-payment of the medical residency training fund, lack of increments in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, and the failure of state governments to pay salary arrears owed to doctors.
Impact on Public Hospitals:
Public hospitals, such as the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, owned by the Nasarawa State government, are significantly affected by the strike. The absence of resident doctors, particularly those on call, has led to the closure of key departments like outpatient, casualty, and maternity units. This has left a large number of patients unattended and in need of medical care.
NARD’s Compliance with the Strike:
The chairman of NARD in Nasarawa State, Dr. Yakubu Adeleke Ademola, together with other officials, ensured that resident doctors adhered to the strike directive. They actively monitored hospitals to ensure doctors did not report for duty, emphasizing that compliance was necessary given the circumstances.
As the National Association of Resident Doctors’ warning strike continues, public hospitals are struggling to provide essential medical services to patients. The strike’s impact is evident nationwide, with patients seeking alternative care in private hospitals. The demands raised by the resident doctors highlight critical issues within the healthcare sector that require urgent attention from the government.