Industrial Actions by Nigerian Medical Doctors: Implications on the Patients and Health Care System

Abstract

As industrial actions by Nigerian medical doctors keep reoccurring, it becomes worrisome and difficult to conclude whether or not the government has done something significant enough that will reflect improvement on our health care system. Therefore, this study is designed to examine whether or not there is plethora of empirical evidence of silent positive impacts of the industrial actions by Nigerian medical doctors on the health care system. The study adopted archival research design – using library and desk. Thus, secondary data were used which were sourced from the dearth of existing empirical studies on the subject matter through the internet and journals. Findings from the study indicate that empirical research has focused exclusively on the immediate negative impact of the industrial actions on the health care system. However, existing records reveals that the sector still suffering from poor funding by the government which is reflected in the continuous decrease in the budget allocation to the sector over the last five years. Based on the findings, the study concluded that empirical research has not focused attention on the positive impact of industrial actions by the Nigerian medical doctors on the health care system, however it can be inferred from the available records that Nigerian government has not done much that will reflect significant improvement on our health care system. The study recommended that Federal government should encourage private individuals, particularly religious bodies that have the resources to invest heavily in the health sector.