DOCTORS AND NURSES THREATEN NATIONWIDE STRIKE AS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM NEARS BREAKING POINT

Nigeria’s healthcare sector faces a potentially paralyzing disruption as two of the most powerful unions in the medical field — the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) — have both issued strike notices, citing federal government neglect.
The NMA, which represents the nation’s doctors, has issued a 21-day ultimatum demanding immediate resolution of key issues, including unpaid salary arrears, reversal of a controversial circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), and the implementation of hazard allowances. President of the NMA, Professor Bala Audu, made it clear that failure to act by August 17 would result in a total, indefinite strike by all doctors nationwide.
Simultaneously, NANNM has declared a 7-day warning strike beginning at midnight on July 29. The nurses’ union accused the federal government of insincerity despite suspending the NSIWC circular, pointing out that other longstanding demands remain unresolved. These include poor staffing, outdated facilities, lack of career progression, and the need for mass recruitment.
If the strikes go ahead, hospitals across Nigeria could shut down critical services, exacerbating the country’s already strained healthcare system and potentially endangering millions of lives. Health analysts have warned that the situation could fuel further brain drain in a sector already losing professionals to international job markets at an alarming rate.