Patients in Jigawa State were left stranded on Wednesday as resident doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) joined the five-day warning strike embarked upon by the group. This action has sparked widespread unrest among patients.
A visit to the two tertiary medical institutions showed that doctors were present but not attending to patients. At the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu (FMC), doctors were gathered in their units’ common rooms while patients, who were in consultation rooms, waited for the attention of the medical staff.
Dr. Shamsuddini Haruna Ubale, the President of NARD at the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu branch, stated that they joined the warning strike due to the directives from their national headquarters. “We have embarked on the five-day warning strike, and the leadership of the association has also gone around to ensure strict compliance with the action,” he said.
One patient complained that they had been left stranded for hours without any medical attention from the doctors, while the management of the Federal Medical Centre refused to comment on the ongoing industrial action.
A manager, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that “This strike has not in any way affected the services of the health facility. Only 34 per cent of the medical staff members of NARD joined the warning strike, while 66 per cent did not. So, presently, 66 per cent of our workforce is on duty.”
The national warning strike called for by the NARD is aimed at compelling the government to meet its demands, which include payment of salary arrears and improved working conditions in public hospitals. The strike commenced on Monday and is expected to last for five days across all public hospitals in Nigeria.
