Doctors’ strike paralyses public hospitals nationwide

By Doyin Ojosipe

An indefinite nationwide strike by doctors which took effect from yesterday, July 1, has sent many patients packing while government hospitals have declined to admit new patients for treatment.

Head of Department, Management Information Services at the National  Hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said the action was in strict compliance with the ongoing national strike called by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), as dialogue with the federal government had failed to yield positive report.

He however said the management of the National Hospital is giving emergency patients adequate  attention by properly taking care of them, while those who are already on admission, would be well managed.

The unusual quietness of the hospital yesterday showed that

many patients have been turned down, while the only unit that seems to have many patients was the emergency unit.

According to Haastrup, though the strike is total, the hospital might not help but admit patients who need intensive care, especially when their survival is involved.

He expressed sadness over the strike action, saying that, “this kind of strike could lead to death of many helpless patients and called on the federal government to heed the association’s demands”.

Similarly, the industrial action was in full effect at the Maitama General Hospital in Abuja, as the hospital had become a ghost of its bubbling self with no doctors but only few nurses in view of the strike and absence of patients, except for the discharged and disappointed ones who were turned back.

Our reporters in Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and other states of the federation have also filed in situation reports on the impact of the nationwide industrial action called by the NMA on activities at various public hospitals across the states.

See Page 6 for additional reports on the doctors’ strike.