Nigeria, Aug. 16 -- Annah Shiekuma clutched the hand of her sick relative. The diabetic patient gasped for breath as they paced the corridor of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSDTH) on Wednesday morning. Hours had passed, yet no doctor had come by.

"Usually, they come every morning to attend to patients," she said, her voice tight with worry. "But it wasn't the case yesterday. It was much later, and I was scared because my relative was not breathing well."

Across the ward, Patrick Tile sat slumped in a wheelchair, a file resting on his lap. He had arrived at 8 a.m., hoping for quick treatment so he could return home to his restricted diet. By 11 a.m., he was still waiting.

"I think the strike has impacted the entire syst...