Nigerian Hospitals Struggle to Survive- Doctor's strike

The current strike by the resident doctors in Nigeria has negatively affected the condition of hospitals. Nevertheless, some doctors are compliant as there are some skeletal works going on in some health institutions. Some of these doctors are supposedly working because they need a means of sustenance.

As the resident doctors in Nigeria are on strike, there is an order from the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), that all its members steer clear of work completely. Nonetheless, journalists say there are skeletal actions by some doctors at different hospitals across the country.

According to Premium Times, patients were seen in the wards with some resident doctors taking care of them in hospitals.
Patients still get admitted into University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, with some doctors doing their clinical duties as well as some resident doctors.
A nurse said some of the resident doctors have been attending to patients as they “have no choice because their consultants have made it compulsory for them to come to the hospital.They cannot join their colleagues in the strike, most of them are been called back by their consultants and they cannot refuse them,” she said.
At the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), a 70-year-old patient, Munkaila Shuaibu, said he was discharged on Tuesday after being admitted some days back.
“I was admitted on Sallah day. After spending a night at the emergency department, I was moved to the male medical ward where I spent four days. The doctor said my health condition is stable. That is why he is discharged me,” he said.
Another patient, Muhammad Ahmad is still getting treatment regardless of the strike.
He said: “Doctors have come this morning for routine ward round. They have checked those on admission. Nobody told me I will be discharged.”
A resident doctor was asked why he works despite the strike and he said,”As you can see, this a large hospital and there are so many patients to attend to. We can’t just leave them stranded. All we are asking is for the federal government to meet our demands. Once this is done, all activities will go back to normal.
”We are however working undercover now because NARD must not know that some of us are still working. We are not working under the management’s order, it is a self-decision. We are just doing some skeletal work in here.”
A meeting between the NARD executives and the health and labour ministries has been fixed for Wednesday, September 6.
The doctors are determined to continue the strike after a meeting of the national leadership on September 4^th.
The president of NARD, Onyebueze John said: “Rising from our NEC meeting, which started by 7pm yesterday and ended 3am today. NARD has resolved to reject the promissory offer from Government, and proceed on total and indefinite strike action until all items in her demand list for strike action are resolved by government.”