Resident doctors begin indefinite strike amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum it gave the government, the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria on Monday commenced a nationwide strike.

The NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, had in a communiqué on Monday directed all resident doctors to embark on the indefinite strike. The strike was as a result of the inadequacy of Personal Protective Equipment for all health care workers and the sacking of 26 resident doctors in the Jos University Teaching Hospital, among other issues.

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The President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr Judith Jolayemi, said members of the association have displayed 100 percent compliance with the directive from the National President.

“The strike is going on, all our members have stopped working except those involved in COVID-19 treatment,” she said.

The resident doctors in Gombe State also joined in the industrial action. According to the state president of the association, Dr Nuhu James, only the members working in the various isolation centres were exempted from the strike.

The acting Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Dr Sule Bathnna, said the hospital was currently running skeletal service due to the doctors’ strike.

He said, “Resident doctors are key members of the hospital who are a good component for optimal running of services in the hospital. We have just had a meeting with heads of department to see where we can bridge the gap using those available to provide skeletal services.”

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The resident doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital also joined their counterparts in the industrial strike on Monday.

The President of the ARD, UITH chapter, Dr Lanre Olosunde, said, “Despite the obvious insensitivity of the government to the legitimate demands of doctors who have been sacrificing their lives at the forefront in the battle against COVID-19, we decided to exempt doctors that are currently attending to patients with COVID-19 at the various treatment centres across the nation.”

However, the resident doctors at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) said on Monday that due to the negative impact the strike might have on the management of COVID-19, they would not join the strike.

The President of the ARD, UPTH, Dr Ameh Ameh, said, “We have decided that for now, we will not be embarking on the nationwide strike because it would be counterproductive to Rivers residents. We realised that all health workers are playing an essential role in helping to stem the tide of COVID-19 and to reduce the impact in the country.”

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Meanwhile, in its response to the nationwide strike, the Federal Government has said it is attending to the grievances of the National Association of Resident Doctors and hopes that the issues would be resolved soon.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, stated this while answering questions from journalists during the press conference held by the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19.

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He said, “Today (Monday), we already had a meeting with the chairman, House of Representatives Committee (on Health) with NARD leadership in attendance. We were able to clarify many of the issues that they have been raising.

“I also did request that this is not the time to go on strike, not when we have a very difficult situation (COVID – 19) on our hands and requested for them to show enough empathy so we can make a headway working on these demands and should not down tools because the lives that may be lost in that process are not replaceable.”

Also, a statement by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, read in part, “The Speaker appealed to them to call off the strike…. He also called on them to consider the plight of average Nigerians as they consider shifting their position.”

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