Doctors begin strike in Owo after alleged attack on colleague
By Boye Oyeyemi
Medical doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, have embarked on a 72-hour warning strike over the alleged assault of their colleague by relatives of a patient within the hospital premises.
The industrial action, which took effect on Sunday, has affected services at the hospital’s main facility in Owo and its annex in Akure, with doctors insisting that work will remain suspended until those behind the incident are arrested and security is improved.
Sources familiar with the situation said the doctor was attacked while attending to patients on duty. The situation reportedly worsened when some individuals later entered the hospital searching for him, forcing staff members to move him to a secure location for his safety.
A source said the Association of Resident Doctors at the institution declared the strike following an emergency meeting, citing increasing threats to healthcare workers and concerns over inadequate security, particularly at the Accident and Emergency Unit.
According to the association’s communiqué signed by its President, Dr. Adeola Oluwadamilola, and Secretary, Dr. Dare Aderemi, the victim was allegedly physically assaulted by a patient and the patient’s daughter. It described the incident as the latest in a series of attacks on medical personnel, noting that it was the second time such a case was recorded at the facility in 2026.
The association therefore demanded the arrest and prosecution of the alleged assailants, deployment of armed security personnel to the hospital and its annex, compensation for the affected doctor and a public apology from those involved.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors backed the strike and condemned the attack. In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, NARD described the incident as unacceptable and warned that repeated attacks on healthcare workers could worsen challenges in the health sector.
It called for swift action against the perpetrators, enhanced security in hospitals and adequate support for the victim, warning that failure to address such incidents could provoke wider industrial action across the country.
