Healthcare Strikes Drive Nigerians Toward Expensive Private Treatment

Written by Springnewsng | February 5, 2026

Healthcare Strikes Drive Nigerians Toward Expensive Private Treatment
Repeated strikes by health workers are forcing many Nigerians to seek medical care from private hospitals, significantly increasing out-of-pocket healthcare costs for households already under economic strain.
With public hospitals frequently shut or operating skeletal services during industrial actions, patients are left with limited options, pushing them to private facilities where consultation fees, tests and treatment costs are often far higher. For low- and middle-income families, this shift has made access to basic healthcare increasingly difficult.
Health experts warn that prolonged disruptions in public healthcare delivery are widening inequality in access to medical services and exposing vulnerable populations to preventable health risks. Delayed treatments and skipped hospital visits have also contributed to worsening health outcomes across communities.
Stakeholders are urging the government to prioritise dialogue with health sector unions, improve working conditions, and invest more sustainably in the public health system to prevent recurring strikes and reduce the financial burden on citizens.
Until lasting solutions are reached, analysts caution that Nigeria’s healthcare system will remain under pressure, with households bearing the cost of institutional failures.