Leaders in the health sector have called for the criminalisation of assaults on doctors and other healthcare workers, saying it is time for healthcare professionals to have special laws protecting them from violence.
They noted that increasing verbal abuse, threats, and physical attacks of doctors and other health workers by patients and their relatives, at a time when the country is battling severe brain drain, would further strain healthcare delivery.
They stressed assaults not only endanger healthcare workers but also disrupt patient care and contribute to low morale among already overstretched professionals.
Recent cases of assaults on doctors and other healthcare workers have continued to trigger concerns within the medical community, with professional bodies warning that violence against doctors is becoming frequent.
Just last week, resident doctors at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, observed a warning strike last week over the assault of one of their members.
In early May 2026, a doctor at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital was attacked during a protest by members of the host community over employment grievances.
Beyond attacks from patients’ relatives in May, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission invaded the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital and assaulted health workers.
In April 2026, PUNCH Healthwise reported the assault of a female doctor and a nurse at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital after a patient’s relative allegedly attacked them while the doctor was explaining hospital charges for a medical procedure.
Similarly, doctors at the Central Hospital in Warri, embarked on a 48-hour warning strike after two doctors were assaulted by the father of a deceased newborn in the hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit.
Also, in April, a female House Officer at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, in Sagamu, Ogun State, was assaulted after being identified as one of the team members who attended to a patient who died at the hospital’s Accident & Emergency unit.
On February 5, 2026, a resident doctor at the Federal Medical Centre Owo was assaulted at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit after relatives of a surgical patient allegedly attacked the physician while on duty.
Speaking exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise on the rising attacks, the Nigerian Medical Association and the National Association of Resident Doctors warn that persistent assault and an unsafe working environment could further deepen the healthcare workforce crisis in Nigeria.
The NMA and NARD urged the government and lawmakers to enact stronger legal protections for healthcare workers and ensure swift prosecution of offenders.
The NMA President, Prof. Afekhide Omoti, said while doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are protected by the general labour laws, the laws do not give special protections against assault or harassment beyond that of other workers or the general public.
“We need special laws to protect healthcare workers,” the NMA president said.
Omoti, however, urged the FG to create clearer and stronger legal protections against assaults on doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
“The FG should criminalise assault on health workers, especially in hospitals and emergency settings. Many countries already treat attacks on healthcare workers as aggravated offences because violence in hospitals can endanger not only staff, but also patients and public safety,” he said.
The NMA president said fear of violence contributes to burnout and emigration of healthcare workers, adding that assault on doctors can interrupt lifesaving treatment.
“At the same time, criminalisation of assault on doctors alone usually does not solve the underlying problems. The government must also tackle challenges like the weak healthcare infrastructure and high treatment costs, among others,” Omoti said.
On his part, the NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, demanded special laws that criminalise assault against doctors or healthcare workers, and prescribe special punishment for assaults.
“That is one of the demands we are making to the National Assembly — for lawmakers to rise to their responsibility and enact laws that specifically protect doctors and healthcare workers,” he said.
The NARD president said over 25 resident doctors have been assaulted in the last year, with perpetrators yet to be convicted.
“I can tell you that in the last one year alone, over 25 resident doctors have been assaulted. Almost 20 nurses have also been assaulted. And the sad reality is that in this same period, maybe there have been just two or three arrests. Let me even be generous and say five arrests. Out of those five arrests, maybe only two or three cases have actually been charged in court.
“And I can tell you that, up till now, there have been no convictions in those cases that made it to court.
“And that is why our members are becoming afraid. In some instances, the assailants apologised, and the matter was dropped. The number of cases where the police actually arrested suspects and prosecution followed is less than 20 per cent,” he said.
He said, regardless of any factor people experience in the healthcare system, doctors and other health workers should not be subjected to assault and violence by patients’ relatives.
“Nothing justifies coming into a hospital to beat up healthcare workers,” he said.
According to him, the FG, through the National Assembly, must criminalise these assaults and establish special legal provisions to punish offenders.
“Examples must be made. Those arrested must be prosecuted. There also needs to be compensation for victims. Some doctors who were assaulted ended up being admitted in the same hospitals where they work because of the injuries they sustained. One person’s glasses were broken. Another person’s computer was destroyed. Who compensates them for these losses?
While commending the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for recently setting up a committee to study these incidents and advise the government, the NARD president urged the FG to act swiftly.
“I think it is a step in the right direction. However, the government needs to act swiftly and make far-reaching recommendations based on these issues,” he said.
Suleiman stressed that NARD would not hesitate to embark on a nationwide strike should any resident doctor be assaulted again.
“For us in NARD, assault on doctors is no longer acceptable. One more assault on a resident doctor anywhere in this country, and the whole of NARD will shut down. The FG must step up and prevent this from happening.
“NARD will no longer tolerate any resident doctor being assaulted anywhere in Nigeria. A new NARD protocol is ongoing, and we are expected to ratify it during our AGM next week in Kano. Any assault on any doctor anywhere in Nigeria, and NARD will shut down completely,” he said.
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