Patients seeking care in public hospitals were stranded on Monday as the strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) entered its third day, disrupting both routine and critical services.
Resident doctors, who constitute the bulk of the medical workforce in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, announced a total and indefinite strike November 1, over unresolved issues with the federal government regarding welfare, pay arrears, and improved working conditions.
At the National Hospital in Abuja, the impact of the strike was evident with only skeletal services being provided by a handful of consultants and house officers. The usually crowded antenatal and outpatient wards were nearly deserted. Many patients, including expectant mothers, the elderly, and those awaiting surgery, expressed frustration after being told there were no doctors available to attend to them.