OGUN HEALTHCARE WORKERS WARN OF STRIKE OVER ASSAULT ON COLLEAGUE

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised concerns over what it called a growing threat to the safety of healthcare workers, warning that unresolved systemic lapses highlighted by a recent assault on a female doctor in Ogun State could spark a wider industrial crisis.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the association said the incident at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, goes beyond an isolated act of violence, reflecting deeper institutional and security shortcomings in Nigeria’s health sector.

NARD expressed its “strongest outrage and unequivocal condemnation” of the attack, describing it as “shocking and barbaric” and a “gross violation of human dignity, professional sanctity, and the safety of healthcare workers.”

The association said the victim, a female House Officer, was “an innocent, dedicated young doctor” who was “singled out and brutally attacked” after being identified as part of the team that treated a patient who later died at the Accident and Emergency unit.

“This horrifying incident, reportedly carried out by a group of about seven men alleged to be students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, constitutes a gross violation,” NARD said.

The association emphasized that the attack highlights broader risks for the healthcare system, warning that hospitals are becoming increasingly unsafe for medical professionals.

“Hospitals are meant to be places of healing, not sites of violence,” the statement read, noting that it is “deeply troubling that doctors, who serve selflessly under difficult conditions — including delayed pay and heavy workloads — are now at risk of physical harm while carrying out their duties.”

NARD said the attack “hits at the very foundation of our healthcare system” and urged for “strong and decisive action.”

The association further detailed immediate steps taken in response, including directing its members at OOUTH Sagamu to suspend their services.

“In line with our zero-tolerance policy on assaults against members, all NARD staff at OOUTH Sagamu, including House Officers, are hereby instructed to immediately withdraw their services until adequate safety assurances are provided,” the statement said.

The association also demanded swift justice, calling for “the urgent identification, arrest, and prosecution of all individuals involved in this heinous act,” emphasizing that “justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.”

Beyond law enforcement, NARD placed responsibility on institutional authorities, urging the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, to “work closely with security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended and appropriately sanctioned,” and to “take responsibility for their students’ actions, including covering all medical costs and providing adequate compensation to the assaulted doctor.”

The association further called on OOUTH Sagamu management to “immediately strengthen and overhaul the hospital’s security system,” highlighting the need for proactive measures to prevent future incidents and to address welfare concerns affecting doctors.

NARD warned that failure to meet its demands could escalate the crisis.

“Failure to address these demands promptly will force the situation to escalate into a regional and national industrial dispute,” the statement said.

While reaffirming its solidarity with members at OOUTH, the association extended sympathy to the victim, wishing her “a swift recovery, physically, emotionally, and professionally.”

It also called on governments at all levels to take urgent measures to safeguard healthcare workers, declaring that “the safety of doctors is non-negotiable” and stressing that “an injury to one is an injury to all.”

“Healthcare workers must be protected, and justice must prevail,” the association added.