The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has instructed its members at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, to immediately withdraw their services following the reported assault of a female house officer.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the association condemned the incident, describing it as a “shocking and barbaric” attack allegedly carried out by a group of about seven individuals said to be students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic.
NARD said the doctor was attacked at the hospital’s accident and emergency unit after being identified as part of the medical team that attended to a patient who later died. The association described the incident as a grave violation of human dignity, professional ethics, and the safety of healthcare workers, noting that the victim was unfairly targeted following the patient’s death.
Declaring the situation unacceptable, NARD directed all its members at OOUTH, including house officers, to suspend work until adequate security measures are guaranteed. It stressed that hospitals should remain safe spaces for care delivery, not scenes of violence, especially as doctors continue to work under challenging conditions such as delayed salaries and heavy workloads.
The association also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved, insisting that justice must be served. It urged the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic to cooperate with security agencies in identifying the suspects and to take responsibility for their actions, including covering the victim’s treatment and compensation.
NARD further appealed to the hospital’s management to reinforce security within the facility and implement preventive measures against future occurrences, alongside addressing welfare concerns of its members.
The association warned that failure to act on its demands could trigger a nationwide escalation, emphasizing that the safety of doctors remains non-negotiable.
