The five-day warning strike by resident doctors grounded activities in teaching hospitals nationwide yesterday, leaving ailing patients in pains.

The worst affected facilities were the National Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, Abuja; University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba; Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, and National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu; Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,

Others were the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria; the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH); Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH); Yola; Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina; Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Federal Medical Centre, Birninkudu; Federal University Dutse Teaching Hospital and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

In some of the hospitals visited by correspondents, families were making plans to evacuate their hospitalised children and kin. In a few others, overburdened nurses and security guards turned back new patients and those on appointment.

ABUTH management, however, said it would by Monday deploy the services of Locum doctors to attend to patients. Locum doctors are medical professionals whose standing for regular doctors for a period of time

The Federal Government, however, said it was negotiating with the leadership of the doctors’ umbrella body, the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD), to end the strike which enters its second day today.

NARD had warned on Monday that the strike would commence since the Federal Government had remained silent on the demand it made on April 29, 2023.

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