The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to embark on a nationwide solidarity strike if the ongoing industrial dispute at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) is not resolved.

In a statement on Thursday, the health body expressed support for resident doctors who commenced an indefinite strike last week.

The association, said the industrial action by the Association of Resident Doctors, OAUTHC (ARD OAUTHC), which began on 22 June, followed months of unresolved welfare and workplace concerns that management allegedly failed to address.

NARD described the crisis as avoidable, blaming it on what it called the hospital management’s failure to respond to repeated complaints despite earlier interventions by the national body.

Previous intervention ignored

According to the association, it had written to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on 16 March, drawing attention to the deteriorating relationship between OAUTHC management and resident doctors.

The association said it requested a stakeholders’ meeting involving the ministry, hospital management, ARD OAUTHC and NARD to address issues including salary arrears, accommodation disputes, restrictions affecting the association’s secretariat and other administrative concerns.

It said despite subsequent follow-up efforts, including another intervention in June, the issues were not treated with the urgency required.

NARD accused the hospital management of adopting a “combative” and “dismissive” approach that deepened mistrust and eventually led to the indefinite strike.

Welfare concerns

The association said the doctors’ grievances centred on several welfare and workplace issues, including the refusal to provide comprehensive meal coverage for doctors on call, the transfer of identity card costs to employees, unresolved accommodation challenges and the non-payment of some allowances.

Other concerns include the imposition of bench fees on resident doctors from accredited private teaching hospitals undertaking clinical rotations at OAUTHC, as well as what NARD described as a pattern of intimidation and victimisation of resident doctors.

The association also alleged that the hospital management’s response during the strike ultimatum did not accurately reflect discussions held with the doctors, leading members of ARD OAUTHC to reject the response and proceed with the industrial action.

Nationwide action

NARD said the dispute was discussed during its May Ordinary General Meeting in Kano, where delegates raised concerns over the welfare of resident doctors and gave its National Officers’ Committee 21 days to engage relevant stakeholders.

The association said it was unacceptable that the matter was allowed to degenerate into an indefinite strike despite the warning.

They warned that the dispute now threatens patient care, emergency services, residency training and the overall stability of the teaching hospital.

NARD called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to urgently convene a high-level meeting involving all parties to resolve the dispute.

It also urged the ministry to direct the hospital management to address outstanding welfare issues, stop any form of intimidation or victimisation of resident doctors, protect members participating in lawful union activities and establish a monitored framework for implementing any agreements reached.

The association warned that if the dispute remains unresolved within a reasonable time, it would be compelled to declare a nationwide solidarity strike in support of the OAUTHC resident doctors.

Ultimatum

The latest dispute comes as NARD is already locked in a broader industrial dispute with the federal government over unresolved welfare, remuneration and training-related issues affecting resident doctors across the country.

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Earlier this month, the association declared a nationwide industrial dispute and issued the federal government a 21-day ultimatum to address demands including the release of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), payment of outstanding salary and promotion arrears, correction of allowance discrepancies, improved welfare for house officers and stronger measures to protect doctors from assaults in hospitals.

The ultimatum, which is now approaching its expiration, followed resolutions reached at the association’s Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kano, where delegates also raised concerns over unresolved welfare issues at several hospitals, including OAUTHC.

At the meeting, NARD specifically warned about the alleged intimidation of resident doctors at the Ile-Ife-based teaching hospital and gave its National Officers’ Committee 21 days to engage relevant stakeholders before considering further action.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is escalating rapidly, with 89 deaths recorded in the past week alone, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of the Africa CDC, warned that the latest figures have heightened concerns over growing community transmission and the limited capacity of treatment centres, many of which are operating at 95 per cent bed occupancy.

Speaking during an online media briefing, Mr Kaseya noted that health authorities must simultaneously expand treatment capacity and strengthen early case detection to curb virus transmission. “Authorities must build more treatment capacity while detecting cases sooner. Early detection prevents patients from needing hospital admission,” he said.

According to Africa CDC data, Bunia, Gwampara, Mugwalu, and Nyankunde remain the epicentres of the outbreak, while Katwa, Beni, and Butembo in North Kivu continue to record active transmission. Community spread remains a primary concern; five health zones in Ituri Province and one in North Kivu account for over 85 per cent of confirmed infections. Mr Kaseya noted that only about 30 per cent of newly confirmed cases were identified from known contacts, highlighting the difficulty of contact tracing in conflict-ridden areas.

A Growing Regional Threat

The ongoing outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, presents significant challenges, as there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for this variant.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, has warned that ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces are severely impeding response efforts, as health workers face insecurity and community mistrust.

The WHO, in collaboration with the Africa CDC, has requested $518 million for a joint continental preparedness and response plan. While pledges have reached $910 million, only 13 per cent has been released as actual funding, leaving a significant gap that experts warn could cause the outbreak to expand further.

Nigeria’s Response and Preparedness

Although Nigeria has recorded no confirmed case of Ebola, the federal government has intensified surveillance and emergency response measures due to the high risk of importation.

To bolster national readiness, President Bola Tinubu recently inaugurated a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The government has also authorised the release of ₦10 billion in emergency intervention funding to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response activities.

Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the disbursement of State Outbreak Investigation and Response Funds (S-OIRF), providing ₦21.2 million to each state through the NCDC Gateway of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has directed all beneficiary states to manage these funds transparently and return them within six months.

Heightened Surveillance

The NCDC has conducted dynamic risk assessments, classifying the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as “high” due to international travel, regional population movement, and porous borders. Consequently, surveillance at airports, seaports, and land borders has been significantly tightened.

Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, emphasised that Nigeria is building on the lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola containment effort. “As I speak, there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. However, we have intensified preparedness activities nationwide to ensure Nigeria remains ready to rapidly detect, investigate, contain, and respond to any potential importation,” he said.

The NCDC has completed readiness assessments in 549 health facilities across 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as evaluations of 17 designated treatment centres.

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Public Advisory

The NCDC has urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation. The agency clarified that Ebola is not an airborne disease and urged the public to rely only on updates from official health authorities.

Citizens are advised to:

Maintain regular hand hygiene.
Avoid contact with the blood or bodily fluids of sick persons.
Refrain from handling sick or dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources.
Promptly report any unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility.
For further information and technical guidance, members of the public are encouraged to visit the official ministry website: www.health.gov.ng.