The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, began the second day of a five-day warning strike today, as patients voiced displeasure over their inability to obtain care in public hospitals.
The situation was especially bad at public hospitals in Nasarawa State and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, Kaduna, where striking physicians abandoned patients.
The scenario was similar in public hospitals throughout the country, from east to west to north.
The strike led a patient exodus to private hospitals, which are presently doing well, albeit at a hefty cost to patients.
Relatives and friends of patients on admission were seen evacuating their loved ones to private hospitals in their state.
Recall that the resident doctors had last Wednesday, declared a five-day warning strike following the federal government’s inability to address their demands.
Issues that necessitated the strike, according to the resident doctors, include poor infrastructure, manpower shortage in the health sector, non-payment of medical residency training fund, non-increments of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure as well as failure of state governments across the country to pay salary arrears of doctors.
When media correspondent visited the Nasarawa State government-owned Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, it was observed that no resident doctor, especially those on call, was seen at duty post.
Some major units of the hospitals such as out-of-patient, casualty and maternity, which used to record large number of patients were under lock, leaving patients unattended to.
Chairman of NARD in the state, Dr Yakubu Adeleke Ademola, who was seen going round the hospital in company of other officials to ensure resident doctors stayed away from the facility, said they had no other option than to comply with the directive on the strike.
In an interview, a patient, Baba Hassan Audu, 80, said he was in the hospital to access treatment since morning but was asked to go back or find alternative.
“I have been suffering from tooth ache. I have an appointment with the doctor but on reaching the hospital I was told the doctors have gone on strike. I cannot afford the medical bill at a private hospital,” he lamented.
Similarly, Mrs Halima Tanko, who called for an immediate end to the strike, expressed worry that the lives of her twin babies born few days ago were in danger.
