Health Crisis Looms? IMAN Slams Strikes In Hospitals, Says Patients Shouldn’t Suffer!

The Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has firmly declared its opposition to strikes within the country’s health sector, describing such actions as incompatible with Islamic teachings.

According to iReporter Online, the association made this stance known during its National Executive Council Meeting held in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday.

Speaking at the gathering, Professor Ibrahim Oreagba, the National President of IMAN, emphasized that the association’s guiding principles reject industrial action in healthcare, citing the sanctity of human life as a core tenet of their mission. He explained that during previous strikes, Muslim health workers affiliated with IMAN remained on duty to continue serving patients. According to iReporter Online, Oreagba lamented the alarming number of deaths recorded during such strikes, stressing that medical professionals must place the well-being of patients above all else.

“Whenever healthcare workers embark on strike, it is the vulnerable patients—Muslim or not—who suffer the consequences. Thousands have died in such circumstances,” Oreagba said. “Even if government later meets your demands, who brings back the lives lost? That is why IMAN cannot support strike actions.”

He called on both Muslim and non-Muslim health professionals to uphold professionalism and maintain their duty to save lives under any condition. In a related presentation titled “Sickness as a Trial and Islamic Solution,” Dr. Muhammad Haruna, a consultant family physician at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, underscored the spiritual significance of illness in Islam. Haruna described sickness as a divine trial and an opportunity for the cleansing of sins, noting that patience in such times brings immense spiritual rewards.

According to iReporter Online, Dr. Haruna explained that Islam views illness not as punishment but as a means of purification and elevation of status. He listed benefits such as divine love, forgiveness of sins, and continuous blessings for those who remain patient.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of IMAN, Professor Tijani Oseni, announced the association’s plans to offer free and affordable medical outreach programs. He said the initiative would include blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests, general consultations, and more, aimed at serving the underprivileged.

According to iReporter Online, IMAN—which was founded in 1989—continues to promote Islamic values within Nigeria’s healthcare system by fostering unity among Muslim healthcare professionals and providing humanitarian medical services. The association remains dedicated to improving public health through education, advocacy, and selfless service.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”