By Stephen Simon
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State branch, has warned that the ongoing strike by resident doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) could trigger a broader healthcare crisis if urgent steps are not taken to address their grievances.
The warning follows a three-day warning strike embarked upon by resident doctors over the failure of the government and relevant authorities to resolve long-standing welfare concerns affecting medical personnel at the hospital.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr. Ewonowo Sunday, expressed concern over the development, describing the situation as avoidable.
“We view this development with deep concern. Regrettably, this crisis was avoidable if all concerned stakeholders had been more proactive and responsive in addressing the legitimate concerns raised by the resident doctors,” he said.
While acknowledging that industrial action is often a last resort, the association noted that it becomes inevitable when sustained dialogue fails to yield meaningful outcomes.
According to the NMA, the resident doctors’ demands include the implementation of revised professional allowances, payment of outstanding promotion arrears and improved welfare support for doctors undergoing residency training.
Meanwhile, the healthcare sector witnessed another disruption as the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) chapter, commenced an indefinite strike over alleged failure by the Delta State Ministry of Health to honour agreements reached with the association.
In a statement jointly signed by the Vice Chairman and Secretary of MDCAN, DELSUTH chapter, Dr. Enemuwe Ibobo Mike and Dr. Nwajei Ifeanyichukwu Anita, the association said the action followed the government’s failure to implement resolutions contained in a communiqué issued on June 2, 2026.
The association also alleged the victimisation of its chairman, Dr. Abolodje Efe, who it said was issued a dismissal letter despite ongoing engagements aimed at resolving outstanding issues.
“This action contravenes the resolutions of the last Emergency General Meeting and the terms of our agreement.
Congress considers this action nothing short of vilification and victimisation of the chairman and the entire association,” the statement said.
As part of the industrial action, MDCAN announced the immediate suspension of all clinical services, residency training programmes, undergraduate and postgraduate lectures, as well as other academic and clinical activities within the institution.
The association further called on the management of DELSUTH and the Delta State Ministry of Health to withdraw the dismissal letter issued to its chairman and urgently address worsening conditions at the hospital, including recent power and water outages.
The latest developments have heightened concerns over growing tensions within Nigeria’s health sector, with stakeholders warning that prolonged industrial actions could further strain healthcare delivery and negatively impact patient care across affected institutions
