The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has sounded a dire alarm over what it calls “slavery-like” working conditions in Nigerian hospitals.
Speaking exclusively to Pinnacle Daily, NARD National President Dr Osundara Tope Zenith warned that unless the government urgently reforms the system, Nigeria risks not only more doctors’ deaths but also a collapse of patient care.
The outcry follows the death of Dr Femi in Port Harcourt last week, after allegedly working a 72-hour marathon shift, and the shocking case of Dr Victor Audu at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, who was reportedly placed on a 31-day continuous duty roster.
Both cases have sparked outrage among health professionals and the wider public.
In his interview with our correspondent, Dr Zenith stressed that such extreme scheduling is not isolated.
“Whether in surgery, internal medicine, or pathology, our work schedule is way out of the ordinary. The person you see behind the white coat is a human being. Subjecting doctors to endless shifts that deny them rest is tantamount to slavery.”
The NARD leader confirmed that his association investigated the Lokoja case through its local chapter, led by Dr Obari Mary, adding that the Federal Teaching Hospital had since promised a “better work template”. But he insisted the issue is systemic, not isolated.
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Recall that NARD at the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL), Kogi State, protested in May 2024 over the alleged shortage of manpower and work overload at the hospital.
The NARD members, who marched around the hospital premises, displayed placards with inscriptions such as “We want to work, not to work and die”, “Don’t kill us; stop using ‘no work, no pay’ to threaten us,” and “Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja doctors are dying; help.”
Olushola Baoku, then chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Kogi, joined the protest and said the doctors were completely overworked without commensurate wages.
The Fatal Toll of Overwork
Zenith recounted recent tragedies, including doctors collapsing after weeks of nonstop shifts.
“We have lost colleagues who worked for weeks without relief. Some develop lumbar spondylosis, hypertension, or collapse on duty. Burnout is inevitable, and sadly, death is becoming too common.”
Medical experts have long linked excessive working hours to life-threatening stress. A 2023 NMA survey revealed rising cases of depression, musculoskeletal injuries, and cardiovascular complications among resident doctors.
Behind the lab coats are men and women facing the same vulnerabilities as the patients they treat. Increasingly, Nigerian doctors themselves are being treated for exhaustion-related illnesses.
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Zenith added: “Doctors are parents, spouses, sons, and daughters. Yet we are subjected to conditions that deny us rest, family life, and even time to heal. This is unsustainable.”
Exhausted doctors not only endanger themselves; they also put patients at risk.
“A fatigued doctor may miss a diagnosis, prescribe the wrong drug, or overlook a critical symptom. What results is substandard care that can cost lives? This crisis is not just about doctors; it is about the people we serve,” Zenith warned.
Studies show fatigued doctors are twice as likely to make medical errors, a reality that could fuel avoidable deaths in hospitals across the country.
Government Slow to Act
The NARD President revealed that his union has repeatedly engaged the federal government, particularly the ministries of health and labour, on the dangers of overwork. Yet, concrete reforms remain absent.
“We have told the government clearly: these hours are slavery. Doctors cannot continue to be on call from the first to the last day of the month. Sadly, despite raising the alarm, nothing substantial has changed.”
Beyond immediate health risks, harsh schedules are driving many doctors abroad.
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“If I can work six hours abroad with better pay and rest, why remain here to work 20 hours under slavery conditions? These push factors are why our colleagues are leaving in droves,” Zenith said.
Nigeria has lost over 15,000 doctors to the UK, US, and Canada in the last eight years, leaving just one doctor to 10,000 patients, far below the WHO’s recommendation of 1:600.
Call for Urgent Reform
The NARD President urged the government to:
- Enforce maximum shift hours in line with global standards.
- Recruit more doctors to ease the burden.
- Improve welfare and pay to discourage brain drain.
- Establish rest and safety protocols to protect medical staff.
Without such measures, Zenith warned, Nigeria risks more tragedies like those of Dr Femi and Dr Audu.
“The kind of work schedule we face in Nigeria is slavery. It kills doctors, endangers patients, and drives our best minds abroad.” — Dr Osundara Tope Zenith
| Category | Dangers of Excessive Shifts |
|---|---|
| For Doctors | Burnout & Depression Hypertension & Collapse Musculoskeletal Injuries Premature Death |
| For Patients | Misdiagnosis Wrong Prescriptions Delayed Treatment Substandard Care |
| For the Health System | Brain Drain Low Morale Healthcare Collapse |
The tragedies of Dr Femi and Dr Audu should serve as a wake-up call. Doctors, the very backbone of Nigeria’s healthcare system, are being worked to death. If reforms do not come swiftly, the nation risks losing both its healers and its patients to a failing system.
Also speaking on the issue, Prof. AbdulRahman Afolabi, Chairman of the Kwara State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), stated, “Doctors are at the front lines of care, yet often face overwhelming stressors such as long working hours, high patient loads, poor remuneration, inadequate infrastructure, workplace insecurity and violence.”
He further noted that these challenges have led to increased cases of burnout, anxiety, depression, and even suicide among medical practitioners.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
