Residents Doctors Reject National Assembly Bill, Threaten Nationwide Strike
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected a bill before the National Assembly that would punish health workers for delays in emergency treatment. The bill proposes a six-month jail term or a ₦300,000 fine for doctors and other health workers. NARD has warned that it may call a nationwide strike if lawmakers pass it.
What the Bill Proposes
The bill is an amendment to the National Health Act and has reportedly passed second reading in the Senate. It would set mandatory timelines for emergency treatment and referral. In addition, it would impose penalties on healthcare professionals and facilities that fail to comply.
Why Resident Doctors Oppose It
According to NARD, hospital infrastructure and medical equipment across Nigeria are insufficient and deteriorating. The association says these failures, caused by years of neglect, are the main obstacles doctors face. Therefore, it insists that doctors should not be blamed for the state of the country’s health facilities.
NARD President, Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko, acknowledged the importance of prompt emergency care. However, he faulted the decision to introduce criminal sanctions without first fixing the conditions in which doctors work. He added that doctors should not be penalized ised for institutional failures beyond their control, especially where facilities lack the required equipment.
Why Doctors Matter to Nigeria
Doctors are the backbone of Nigeria’s health system. They deliver babies, treat accident victims, manage disease outbreaks and keep families and the workforce healthy. Resident doctors, in particular, provide much of the round-the-clock care in teaching hospitals and federal medical centres.
A country cannot grow without healthy citizens, and citizens cannot stay healthy without doctors. For this reason, any policy that drives doctors out of the profession, or out of the country, puts every Nigerian at risk. Supporting doctors with working facilities protects patients far better than punishing them does.
What NARD Wants Instead
The association urged the leadership of the National Assembly to show the same urgency in fixing the health system. Specifically, it called for:
- Adequate funding for hospitals
- Functional emergency departments
- Modern diagnostic equipment
- Reliable ambulance services
- Sufficient healthcare personnel
NARD also called for meaningful reform focused on hospital infrastructure, staffing and institutional accountability, rather than the criminalisation of frontline medical workers. Furthermore, it advised lawmakers to consult widely with medical associations, hospital administrators, patient representatives and other stakeholders.
Finally, the association demanded explicit legal safeguards. These would ensure that doctors are not prosecuted for delays caused by unavailable equipment, inadequate staffing or other circumstances beyond their reasonable control.
Strike Warning
NARD cautioned that if the National Assembly enacts a law that unjustly punishes doctors for systemic failures, it will convene its decision-making organs to consider all lawful options. These options include nationwide industrial action. Nevertheless, the association said it would make arrangements to protect emergency and critically ill patients.
