
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors NARD has endorsed a 48-hour warning strike by doctors at Central Hospital, Warri, following an assault on two of its members. The incident occurred on Saturday at the hospital's Special Care Baby Unit when a bereaved father, whose newborn had died, physically attacked a Senior Registrar and a House Officer after being informed of the death. NARD, in a statement signed by its President Mohammad Suleiman, Secretary-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary Abdulmajeed Ibrahim, condemned the attack, highlighting it as part of a growing pattern of violence against healthcare workers in Nigeria. The association confirmed the assailant's apprehension and demanded prompt prosecution, improved hospital security, and comprehensive support for the victims, including compensation and psychosocial assistance. NARD justified the strike as a legitimate demand for safety and respect in the workplace and warned against any intimidation or victimization of its members, threatening coordinated resistance and potential escalation to nationwide industrial action if such acts occur. The association also called for urgent legislative reforms to criminalize assaults on healthcare workers and enforce strict penalties, noting that violence against healthcare workers is a global concern linked to systemic challenges in Nigeria.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.