As the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) continued its industrial action, which entered its eighth day on Monday, 27 July, 2027 and has disrupted healthcare services at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the association has given conditions to call off its strike, reports thegazellenews.com.
According to the association, the action, initiated in compliance with a directive from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), comes after prolonged but unsuccessful attempts to resolve severe welfare concerns with the LUTH management.
ARD, while addressing newsmen on Monday, 27 July, 2026 , outlined two primary, non-negotiable demands: the immediate completion of the Resident Doctors’ Quarters and the restoration of call duty meals.
While stating that for over 18 months, an uncompleted renovation project has denied LUTH resident doctors access to their residential quarters, the doctors revealed that this prolonged delay has forced many doctors—some of whom commute long distances across Lagos—to sleep in their cars, hospital lounges, and other unsuitable locations while continuing to provide essential healthcare services.
“This prolonged delay has significantly affected the welfare, safety, and well-being of doctors,” the association stated, calling on the Federal Government to urgently release the funds necessary for the Chief Medical Director to complete the renovations, “ the association said, just as it also added that equally pressing is the hospital’s alleged withdrawal of call duty meals.
They said that resident doctors routinely work continuous shifts that extend beyond 24 hours, often working overnight to attend to critical emergencies.
Because doctors cannot abandon their duty posts to procure food, the union argued that call duty meals are not a privilege, but an established welfare provision critical to delivering safe and uninterrupted patient care.
“Similar provisions exist in other federal tertiary health institutions across the country, and LUTH should not be an exception,” the doctors said, just as they also called on the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, and other well-meaning Nigerians to step in.
The doctors warned that without immediate intervention to restore basic working conditions, the disruption of healthcare services at LUTH will persist.
“Our desire has always been to remain at the bedside caring for our patients,” the association affirmed.
“However, quality healthcare cannot be sustained when the welfare and basic working conditions of healthcare workers are neglected.”
The body also added that it remains committed to constructive dialogue and hopes for a speedy resolution to the crisis.
