Katsina, November 1, 2025
Hospitals across Nigeria have been thrown into confusion following the commencement of an indefinite strike by resident doctors — a development that has paralyzed medical services and left patients stranded nationwide.
The strike, declared by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), comes after weeks of unresolved disputes with the Federal Government over unpaid arrears, poor working conditions, and the failure to implement agreed welfare packages.
The current industrial action did not come as a surprise. Tensions had been building over time as doctors repeatedly complained about the non-payment of their hazard allowances, the lack of accommodation for house officers, and the slow implementation of the new Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
Despite several rounds of talks with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour, NARD said the government had failed to meet its commitments. Many hospitals across the country are struggling with inadequate staff, obsolete equipment, and poor infrastructure — conditions that have driven hundreds of Nigerian doctors abroad in search of better working environments.
When the latest deadline issued by NARD expired without meaningful government response, the doctors made good their threat to withdraw services indefinitely.
At the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, the effect of the strike was immediately visible. According to an anonymous staff member who spoke to Fasaha Stream, the hospital’s emergency ward was overwhelmed by confusion on Friday evening.
“I went to the emergency ward around 5 p.m., and honestly, it was heartbreaking,” the source said. “Patients in critical condition were not being attended to. Some were turned back at the gate. Even those already admitted were being discharged, despite not being medically fit to go home.”
By Saturday morning, the situation had worsened as resident doctors in the hospital fully joined the strike.
“The resident doctors have embarked on an indefinite strike. Only one consultant and a nurse were attending to patients intermittently, but the consultants aren’t stationed permanently. All admitted patients have been discharged, even though other health workers are not part of the strike,” the hospital staff added.
Across Nigeria, similar scenes are unfolding. From Lagos to Kano, Abuja to Port Harcourt, wards and outpatient units have become ghostly silent. Emergency units that once buzzed with activity now lie empty, as relatives of patients rush to seek help in private hospitals — many of which have begun recording a surge in new admissions.
Other categories of healthcare workers — nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory staff — who are not part of the strike, are reportedly overstretched as they try to provide limited care within their professional boundaries.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has appealed to the striking doctors to reconsider their stance “in the interest of public health.” Officials say discussions are ongoing to address the doctors’ grievances, but the union insists that only “concrete actions, not promises,” will convince them to suspend the strike.
In a statement, NARD emphasized that the decision to strike was taken as a “last resort” after all peaceful efforts failed, noting that members were demoralized by years of neglect and unfulfilled commitments.
As the standoff continues, the real victims remain the patients — particularly those in emergency conditions or with chronic illnesses requiring constant attention.
From Katsina to the Federal Capital Territory, anxious families linger around hospital gates, hoping for a change of heart from the doctors or a quick resolution from the government.
For now, the halls of Nigeria’s public hospitals echo with silence — a grim reminder of a healthcare system in distress, and a nation once again paying the price for broken promises.
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