By Adesakin Adefemi
Resident doctors at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), Ilorin, have commenced a one-week warning strike to protest the assault of a female doctor by a patient’s relative on duty.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) condemned the attack in a statement on Thursday, April 23, 2026, describing it as “inhumane and unacceptable.” The association said the assault occurred while the doctor was “professionally explaining hospital charges for a medical procedure” to the relative.
During the confrontation, the doctor was physically assaulted. A nurse who was present at the scene was also attacked, NARD said. The association stressed that health workers must not be subjected to abuse while delivering essential services to the public.
NARD confirmed that the alleged assailant has been apprehended and is currently in police custody. It commended the swift response of security agencies and expressed hope that “due process will be followed to ensure justice is served.”
In solidarity with the assaulted doctor and nurse, NARD said it fully backs resolutions reached by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at KWASUTH. The chapter declared a one-week warning strike, scheduled a public demonstration and press conference, and ordered the immediate display of notices outlining patients’ rights and responsibilities across the hospital.
The doctors are demanding “appropriate justice and compensation” for the affected health workers. They also called for the deployment of adequate security personnel, preferably police officers, to sensitive areas of the hospital to prevent future attacks.
NARD insisted on the full prosecution of the suspect and warned that any attempt to intimidate or victimise KWASUTH doctors for taking “lawful actions” to protect their welfare could trigger wider industrial action at regional or national levels.
“The safety, dignity, and welfare of doctors and all healthcare workers are non-negotiable. Hospitals must remain safe spaces for both patients and staff,” the statement reads.
The strike is expected to disrupt clinical services at KWASUTH, though emergency units may operate on skeletal shifts. Hospital management had not issued an official response as of press time.
