The ongoing five-day warning strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has paralysed activities in public hospitals in Lagos State.
The NMA on December 15 directed its members to embark on a nationwide strike, which entered the third day on Friday.
The strike is meant to protest poor working condition, inadequate funding and poor infrastructure in the nation’s health sector.
Correspondents who visited the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, report that the strike paralysed activities in the institutions.
The correspondents also visited the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi.
Consultants and resident doctors were unavailable to attend to scores of patients who thronged the hospitals.
At LUTH, some patients were prepared to wait till Monday when the strike would be called off.
A patient who pleaded anonymity said that she had an appointment with a doctor and would wait in the premises till Monday so that she would be the first person to be attended to.
“I urgently need to see the doctor concerning my health condition; I am ready to wait here till Monday when the strike will be called off.
“I have no money to go to a private hospital and I have no choice than to wait,’’ the patient said.
At LASUTH, few patients and health volunteers were seen in the wards.
The five-day warning strike will end on Sunday.
