Resident doctors have announced a strike starting Monday, escalating labor disputes and raising concerns about healthcare services as negotiations with authorities continue.

Due to the kidnapping of their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna State almost eight months ago, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has announced a seven-day strike warning.

The president of NARD, Dr. Dele Abdullahi, revealed to our correspondent on Sunday that the strike is scheduled to commence at 12 a.m. on Monday, August 26th in the year 2024.

During the Emergency National Executive Council meeting, Abdullahi stated that the decision had been taken.

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“At midnight today, the strike will commence,” he declared. “It will be a warning strike for seven days, and it’s going to be all-encompassing.”

“There will be no concessions or emergency care available during the strike.”

On December 27, 2023, Popoola together with her husband and nephew were kidnapped. Popoola is a registrar working in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre located in Kaduna.

Popoola and her nephew are still in captivity, even though her husband was released in March.

In order to secure Dr. Popoola’s release, NARD members staged protests throughout tertiary hospitals across the country.