NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, July 24, 2014

An ongoing nationwide by doctors has prompted private practice and nongovernment agencies to step into healthcare to bridge gulfs let wide open when doctors walked out July 1.

Both the group Bellvicks Global Health Initiative and Abuja-based Alliance Hospital have offered free medical services to resident between July 22 and 26 to mitigate the impact of the doctors’ strike now in its third week.

Alliance will open its 20-bed space to patients in need for care for four days this week, and continue their care as medically necessary even after the period until they leave hospital, it said.

The target is anyone visiting the hospital, and its budget is stretched to cover free general or specialist consultation, investigation, admission and treatment, said Dr Okorie Ogbonnaya, director of clinical services at Alliance.

He said the outreach is to “alleviate suffering” because of ongoing dispute with Nigerian Medical Association, which has driven countless patients from public hospitals and left them at the mercy of more expensive private clinics.