‘Enough is Enough’ — Resident Doctors Threaten Industrial Action over Assault of Healthcare Workers

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened industrial action over the spate of assault on healthcare personnel across the country.

In May, panic erupted at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the facility and arrested Eyo Ekpe, professor of cardiothoracic surgery and deputy chairman of the hospital’s medical advisory committee.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Akwa Ibom embarked on an indefinite strike over the incident.

The state branch of NMA further threatened legal action against the anti-graft agency over the alleged assault, demanding a billion naira in damages.

In a letter signed in May but dispatched to journalists on Saturday, NARD said at least 17 major tertiary health institutions recorded cases of attacks on doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers in a year.

NARD said it would commence industrial action if the federal government fails to take decisive action against perpetrators of assaults on healthcare workers.

The association stated that concrete, visible, and decisive steps must be taken to curb attacks on doctors and ensure all assailants are brought to justice before the end of its ordinary general meeting (OGM) in May.

“If by the end of May 2026 OGM, concrete, visible, and decisive steps are not taken to curb this menace and bring all assailants to justice, the NARD national officers’ committee (NOC) and other constitutional organs of the association will not guarantee industrial peace after the OGM,” the statement reads.

“We are, by this statement, putting the federal government and all relevant authorities on notice. The lives of Nigerian doctors and healthcare workers matter.

“An injury to one healthcare worker is an injury to the entire healthcare system. The time to act is now. Enough is enough!”

NARD said health facilities where assaults were recorded include the University College Hospital Ibadan, the Federal Medical Centre Owo, the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Sagamu, the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka, the Delta State University Teaching Hospital Oghara, the General Hospital Warri, the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospitals Abakaliki, and the Federal Medical Centre Jabi in Abuja.

Other facilities listed are the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital Ilorin, the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, the National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu, Federal Medical Centre Jalingo, National Hospital Abuja, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi.

NARD explained that more than 90 percent of victims of such attacks are its members who suffered from physical injuries, emotional trauma, and property losses.

The association noted that victims only receive apology letters from perpetrators, despite the severity of the attacks and their psychological impact.

“NARD leadership has observed with painful dismay that over 90% of the victims in these attacks are NARDites,” the statement added. 

“Even more heartbreaking is the fact that in most of these cases, victims received nothing more than mere apology letters, while suffering severe physical injuries, emotional trauma, destruction of personal belongings, and psychological scars that may never heal.

“More disturbing is the dangerous culture of impunity surrounding these attacks.

“While some assailants were reportedly arrested and a few arraigned before courts, None have been decisively prosecuted or punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

“This failure of justice has emboldened hoodlums and even armed personnel to invade hospitals and unleash terror on innocent healthcare workers.

“Today, hospitals that ought to be sanctuaries of healing have gradually turned into battlefields and bloodshed zones.”

The association said incidents that involved verbal abuse have escalated into physical assaults.

“What started as verbal abuse has now degenerated into brutal physical assaults, destruction of valuables, invasion of call rooms, intimidation with weapons, and coordinated attacks on health workers on duty,” the statement said.