The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has condemned the brutal assault of a female House Officer at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) in Sagamu, Ogun State, describing it as “shocking and barbaric.”
In a statement on Wednesday, NARD warned that failure to address systemic lapses in hospital security could escalate the matter into a regional and national industrial dispute.
According to NARD President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, seven men—allegedly students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade—attacked the doctor following the unfortunate death of a patient in the Accident & Emergency unit, singling her out as part of the attending medical team.
The association stressed that hospitals are sanctuaries of healing, not battlegrounds of violence, and highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare workers, including delayed remuneration and overwhelming workloads.
NARD has taken immediate steps by directing members at OOUTH Sagamu to withdraw services until safety assurances are provided. They also called for:
- Urgent identification, arrest, and prosecution of all perpetrators.
- Responsibility and cooperation from Gateway ICT Polytechnic, including covering medical costs and compensating the assaulted doctor.
- A comprehensive overhaul of security measures at OOUTH.
The statement concluded with a firm warning: “The safety of doctors is non-negotiable. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
