(By Nike Adebowale-Tambe, Fortune Eromonsele and Zainab Adewale)
Healthcare services across the Federal Capital Territory were thrown into disarray on Monday after the Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter (ARD-FCT) embarked on an indefinite strike, forcing hospitals to discharge patients and suspend routine care.
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The action comes after the doctors’ seven-day warning strike elapsed without progress in negotiations with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT).
Among the issues driving the action are shortage of manpower, poor welfare, unpaid salaries, unexplained deductions, the psychological toll of long working hours, and the absence of new recruitment in FCT hospitals since 2011.
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ARD-FCT President, George Ebong, earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that despite several rounds of dialogue, the FCTA has failed to address long-standing concerns affecting doctors in its employ.
With the indefinite strike now in force, a PREMIUM TIMES visit to hospitals across the FCT reveals the impact of the action on patients and health services.
Services paralysed
At Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse General Hospitals, patients were turned away as doctors vacated wards.
Although consultants and nurses tried to keep facilities running, large sections of the hospitals, including gynaecology, surgical and paediatric wards were shut, with patients asked to go home.
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At Maitama General Hospital, most departments appeared empty as of 11:30 a.m, with only a handful of patients seen within the facility. Nurses were observed moving across wards, but doctors’ absence was conspicuous.
Even the emergency unit, usually the busiest part of the hospital, had only a few patients being attended to by nurses.
Ms Amaka Owulo, one patient who had come for treatment expressed frustration noting that she was delayed due to the doctor’s absence.
She said, “I wasn’t aware of the strike. I got to the hospital some minutes before 11:00 a.m and was told about the strike. Nobody was willing to attend to me at first but after so much pleading, a nurse attended to me, not quite long. For me, the nurses are trying, but there are limits to what they can do.”
Also, two mothers who brought their babies lamented that they could not be attended to and were already on their way home when being approached.
At Wuse General Hospital, the situation was slightly better than Maitama but still far from normal. Many waiting areas were empty, and the hospital’s overall pace had slowed.
Some patients who spoke with this newspaper said they were attended to by the nurses while others said they have been asked to go home and return when the strike is over.
“This will be my second time coming to the hospital within a week without seeing a doctor. I was here last week and was told the doctors are on strike, today again same situation,” Mr Okafor, who was at the hospital told PREMIUM TIMES.
Hospital staff confirmed that two doctors were available at the emergency unit, but they were said to be occupied and could not speak with this reporter. Only a few patients were seen in the emergency ward.
Meanwhile, patients in the female medical ward, female surgical ward, emergency paediatric ward, and paediatric ward have been discharged due to the ongoing strike.
The situation at the Asokoro District Hospital is not so different as patients were also left without adequate care.
A pregnant woman at Asokoro Hospital, who had been scheduled for a follow-up appointment, said she was shocked to discover doctors were unavailable.
She said she had waited patiently for this appointment date.
At the General Out-patient Department, only a single consultant doctor was on duty, attending to the patients who came in for check-ups and treatment.
Skeletal services in Nyanya and Karu general hospitals
At Nyanya General Hospital, services remained skeletal. Patients were present in the facility, but many were unable to see doctors.
A patient who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said she had postponed her hospital visit several times but eventually came only to discover she still could not access treatment.
“I don’t know what else to do. Going to a private hospital is too expensive, and here I cannot see a doctor. I am just confused,” she said.
When this reporter attempted to speak with a nurse at the accident and emergency ward, the nurse declined, insisting that official approval was required before any comment could be made.
At Karu General Hospital, the situation was less tense, but services were still clearly reduced.
To understand how patients were being received at the GOPD, the reporter approached the registration desk as though seeking consultation.
The cashier explained that there might not be doctors available and advised checking first.
“You should check if a Corper doctor is on call, you can return so we can register you,” he said.
Upon checking the department, this reporter observed only two patients waiting, with most areas of the hospital appearing deserted.
Doctors’ grievances
The doctors, in a communique issued ahead of the strike lamented the continued non-payment of salary owed to members employed since 2023, despite repeated engagements with management.
It highlighted the non-disbursement of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), which has left members indebted while struggling to meet mandatory training obligations.
It also listed the non-payment of arrears from the 25/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) upward review, persistent and unexplained deductions alongside irregular salary payments, and delays in promotion exercises as part of its grievances.
“Zero effort towards the recruitment of new doctors, despite the obvious manpower crisis that has subjected our members to unbearable physical, emotional, and psychological strain – resulting in avoidable stress-related deaths. Both doctors’ and patients’ lives remain endangered.
“The deplorable state of FCTA hospitals, which are now shadows of decay rather than centres of excellence, lacking equipment, consumables, and basic functionality.”
READ ALSO: Doctors strike paralyses public hospitals in Ogun
Demands
The doctors are demanding, amongst others, the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears to members employed since 2023.
It also called for the immediate recruitment of new doctors, with written, time-bound commitments to conclude before the end of 2025, noting that this is of utmost urgency.
The doctors are also requesting the immediate payment of the 2025 MRTF for doctors’ medical training and payment of arrears from the 25/35 per cent CONMESS review
Others are “Immediate stoppage of all erroneous deductions and correction of irregular salary payments, immediate payment of wage award arrears, as already done for colleagues at federal and state levels, payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears and immediate payment of all arrears owed to 2025 external residents.
“Urgent renovation, equipping, and upgrading of all FCTA hospitals to globally acceptable standards.”
The doctors vowed to continue the action “until government and management show genuine commitment to the welfare of doctors and the health of FCT residents.”
“We do hope that the management will do the urgent needful to meet all of our demands for the sake of our patients and ourselves,” it said.
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