The ongoing doctors’ strike is exacerbating the suffering of vulnerable patients who depend on continuous medical care, according to Andrew Chukwuleta Okemiri, a disc jockey from Ebonyi who now resides in Anambra and who has a spinal cord injury. Okemiri has pleaded with the federal government and health authorities nationwide to step in immediately.
To allow doctors to return to work and resume treatment for patients fighting life-threatening ailments, Okemiri demanded in a letter to the Federal Government, the Minister of Health, and State Commissioners for Health that the conflict be resolved quickly through conversation.
He emphasised the need of intensive medical monitoring and frequent physical therapy for people with spinal cord injuries in order to keep moving and avoid problems.
According to Okemiri, he is unable to afford the advanced treatment that doctors have suggested, therefore he is left with little choice but to rely on local physiotherapy services in the meanwhile.
Many patients have been unable to continue rehabilitation and other necessary therapies due to the disruption of services, he expressed his concern.
Okemiri recounted his tragic experience, saying that he and a companion were attacked by unknown intruders on December 4, 2020, as he was returning from work. The attack left him with a terrible spinal cord injury.
According to him, the incident rendered him limbless and necessitated medical attention at various institutions, such as the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Memfys Hospital Enugu, St. Joseph Hospital Adazi Nnukwu, and most recently, the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA). However, he has been unable to receive treatment at this facility since December 2025 because of the protracted strike.
Financial difficulties have further complicated his road to recovery, he said, adding to the difficulties already experienced by patients with chronic medical illnesses due to the protracted disruption in healthcare.
The physician had advised more treatment abroad, which he said would cost approximately N4.5 million—a sum he could never afford.
The disc jockey went on to say that many other patients are going unnoticed because of the strike’s impact on hospital access, in addition to his own personal experience.
Patients’ lives depend on uninterrupted medical treatment, thus he pleaded with authorities to prioritise negotiations with the striking physicians and take steps to protect them.
Although Okemiri praised President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Health for their endeavours to enhance Nigeria’s healthcare system, he emphasised the need for immediate action to get services back to normal across the country.
In addition, he lauded the healthcare and welfare initiatives of Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, and urged concerned Nigerians to help those suffering from spinal cord injuries who are struggling to get treatment due to the country’s current healthcare crisis.