Lagos Neuropsychiatric Hospital Resident Doctors Announce Warning Strike Starting Monday

Resident doctors at the Lagos State Neuropsychiatric Hospital have declared a warning strike to commence on Monday, July 7, 2025, protesting chronic understaffing, unpaid allowances, and deteriorating working conditions. 

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos branch, representing the 150 affected doctors, announced the decision following a failed negotiation with the state government on July 2. The strike, set to last five days, will see emergency services limited to critical cases, impacting the hospital’s 500 daily patients, 70% of whom rely on mental health support for schizophrenia and depression.

The doctors, earning an average of N300,000 monthly against a recommended N600,000, highlighted a 40% staff shortage since 2023, with 20 resignations due to burnout. They demand N2 billion in arrears, improved security after a June 2025 assault on staff, and 50 new hires by August. Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi acknowledged the crisis but cited a N1.5 trillion state budget constraint, offering N500 million as a stopgap. 

The NMA warns of an indefinite strike if unmet, with 60% of Lagos residents supporting the action, citing a 30% rise in mental health cases. The hospital, a referral center for 10 states, faces a potential backlog of 1,000 cases.