A Healthcare System on Pause
Nigeria’s fragile health system has once again come under strain as resident doctors across 91 tertiary hospitals withdraw services indefinitely.
The Federal Government claims it has released ₦11.995 billion in outstanding arrears, but NARD says only a fraction of that money reached doctors — and only two of its 19 demands were met.
NARD President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman told The Guardian the government’s figures were “very wrong,” accusing officials of manipulating data to understate debt.
“This strike is not about politics. It’s about survival and respect for labour,” he said.
Patients Stranded, Emergency Units Empty
From Lagos to Abuja, and Calabar to Asaba, hospitals have gone silent.
At UCH Ibadan, emergency rooms stood empty. At FMC Jabi, patients were discharged mid-treatment. In Calabar, even maternity wards were closed.
A nurse at the National Hospital, Abuja, told IDNN:
“We are discharging patients because there are no doctors. Consultants can’t cope alone.”
Patients’ relatives described desperate scenes — accident victims moved in wheelbarrows, pregnant women turned away, and children missing critical treatment.
FG vs. NARD — The Numbers Behind the Crisis
NARD says ₦48 billion is owed, not ₦41 billion as claimed by the government. The Ministry of Finance confirmed partial disbursement, but the Ministry of Health has yet to implement structural welfare improvements.
Across facilities, compliance with the strike order remains 100%, leaving consultants overstretched and outpatient clinics inactive.
Public health expert Dr. Olusola Ajayi warns of cascading effects:
“We’re seeing a dangerous gap in emergency care. Mortality rates could spike if this continues another week.”
Economic Cost of a Collapsing Health Workforce
Each week of full strike action costs the health sector an estimated ₦7.2 billion in productivity losses, according to IDNN estimates.
Private hospitals are witnessing a surge in patient inflow, with reports of price hikes for consultation and admission by as much as 60%.
Labour analysts predict more strikes ahead as other unions — including JOHESU and nurses’ associations — consider solidarity actions.
This is IDNN. Independent. Digital. Uncompromising.