The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has strongly condemned the alleged assault and subsequent arrest of a medical doctor and two other healthcare workers following the death of a patient at the Mother and Child Hospital in Mowe, an annex of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital (NPH) Aro, Ogun State. In a statement released on Thursday, the association described the incident as barbaric and criticized the police for failing to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
According to NARD, the incident occurred after a critically ill patient died while receiving emergency treatment at the hospital. Relatives of the deceased allegedly attacked the doctor and other healthcare workers, accusing the doctor of having killed the patient. The association noted that the assaulted doctor, along with a nurse and an administrative staff member who attempted to rescue the doctor during the attack, were later arrested by the police.
Arrest After Attack
NARD expressed outrage that the police reportedly arrested the assaulted doctor, the nurse, and the administrative staff member while the actual assailants were allowed to go free. The statement read: "In an even more disturbing twist, the police reportedly arrested the assaulted doctor, alongside a nurse and an administrative staff member who had merely attempted to rescue the doctor from the violent attack, while the actual assailants walked free." The association noted that although the doctor has been granted bail, the matter remains unresolved and justice has not yet been served.
Demands
The association demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of all individuals allegedly involved in the assault. It also called for adequate compensation for the doctor, nurse, and administrative staff member affected by the incident, citing physical assault, emotional trauma, and defamation suffered. Furthermore, NARD requested the immediate deployment and strengthening of security infrastructure within health facilities to protect healthcare workers and patients alike. The association also asked for assurances from security agencies and government authorities that healthcare workers will no longer be subjected to such degrading treatment.
A Growing Pattern
NARD stated that attacks on healthcare workers have become frequent across the country and called for urgent intervention by authorities. "This continuous trend of harassment, bullying, intimidation, and physical assault on health workers across Nigeria has become unacceptable, intolerable, and must be decisively addressed by relevant authorities," the statement added. The incident is one of several reported attacks on healthcare workers across Nigeria.
In February, NARD raised concerns over the assault of a resident doctor at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, Ondo State, allegedly by relatives of a patient at the hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit. In June, another doctor was allegedly assaulted by a patient's relative while on duty, which later triggered a 72-hour warning strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) FMC Owo Chapter, disrupting services at both the FMC and its Akure Annex. In March, the South-east chapter of resident doctors threatened a regional strike after a doctor at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna was allegedly assaulted by security personnel attached to a senior government official during an official visit. In May, NARD condemned the assault of a doctor at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) in Oghara during a protest by members of the host community, describing it as a threat to the safety of healthcare professionals and warning that repeated attacks could trigger wider industrial action. Also in May, NARD condemned the alleged assault of doctors and other health workers at the Emergency Department of the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan following the death of a patient. The association backed a 48-hour warning strike declared by doctors at the Central Hospital in Warri, Delta State, following the alleged assault of health workers by relatives of a deceased patient. In 2024, NARD called on the National Assembly to enact laws criminalizing assaults on health workers after a series of attacks in hospitals, citing incidents at Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, Nasarawa State; Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital; UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital in Osogbo; and the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) in Lokoja.
Support for Doctors
NARD stated that it stands with the ARD NPH Aro regarding actions taken in response to the incident and commended the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ogun State branch, for its intervention and support. The statement concluded: "Healthcare workers are not punching bags. An injury to one is an injury to all."
