NARD Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Bill Seeking Six-Month Jail Term for Doctors

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has opposed a proposed amendment to the National Health Act seeking to impose a six-month jail term or a ₦300,000 fine on healthcare professionals who delay or refuse emergency medical treatment.

The association warned that the proposed legislation could worsen the challenges facing Nigeria’s already overstretched healthcare workforce, insisting that doctors should not be criminalised for failures caused by inadequate medical infrastructure.

NARD President, Dr Ogar Idoko, stated this in a statement issued in Calabar on Friday, describing the proposed sanctions as punitive and disconnected from the realities of the country’s healthcare system.

Idoko said the association recognised the importance of prompt emergency medical attention and the need to protect patients but maintained that systemic deficiencies must be addressed before criminal penalties are introduced.

He identified obsolete medical equipment, inadequate staffing, unreliable electricity supply and shortages of emergency medical supplies as some of the challenges confronting doctors across the country.

According to him, these problems are largely consequences of longstanding institutional neglect rather than professional negligence.

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“The challenges are consequences of longstanding institutional neglect rather than professional negligence, so I urge lawmakers to prioritise healthcare funding and infrastructure.

“We also challenge the National Assembly to demonstrate similar legislative urgency in providing functional emergency departments, modern diagnostic equipment, reliable ambulance services and adequate personnel,” he said.

The NARD president also called on lawmakers to consider legislation compelling public office holders to patronise government-owned hospitals, with appropriate sanctions for the misuse of public resources on avoidable overseas medical treatment.

He warned that imposing additional criminal penalties on healthcare professionals working under difficult conditions could accelerate the country’s brain drain, popularly referred to as the “Japan syndrome.”

Although the association acknowledged that the proposed bill reportedly included safeguards for situations beyond the control of medical practitioners, Idoko insisted that such protections must be clearly defined and enforceable.

He called for the withdrawal and reconsideration of the proposed punitive provisions, urging the National Assembly to consult healthcare associations, hospital administrators, patient representatives and other relevant stakeholders.

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NARD further demanded legislation guaranteeing adequate healthcare funding, minimum emergency-care standards, sufficient staffing, uninterrupted electricity supply and functional referral systems.

The association also threatened nationwide industrial action if lawmakers proceeded with what it described as legislation that unjustly criminalised doctors for institutional failures.

“We will consider all lawful options, including nationwide industrial action, if lawmakers proceed with legislation unjustly criminalising doctors for institutional failures,” Idoko warned.

He, however, assured that the association would make necessary arrangements to protect emergency and critically ill patients during any industrial action, reaffirming its commitment to patient safety and quality healthcare.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate is considering a bill seeking to penalise hospitals and healthcare workers who refuse or delay emergency medical treatment.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, representing Katsina Central Senatorial District, passed its second reading on Wednesday.

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