Hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have scaled down operations as the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), FCTA chapter embarked on a three-day warning strike.
The industrial action, which commenced on Wednesday, has disrupted services in healthcare facilities, with many patients unable to access medical care.
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PREMIUM TIMES visited some of the affected hospitals on Thursday to assess the impacts of the strike, especially on patients.
It observed that emergency services remain operational, ensuring that critical care is still accessible to those in urgent need.
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Patients left stranded
At Wuse District Hospital, Abuja, Nwali Precious expressed frustration and disappointment over the strike, stating that she could not receive medical attention due to the absence of doctors.
Ms Precious said she came for a follow-up after being told she needed tests and admission due to a history of miscarriages.
“I was here last Thursday for my antenatal, and I was told to get a particular scan done because they don’t have the machine here at the hospital,” she recounted.
“So I decided to do it today because they asked me to return today for another test. I was also told that I would be admitted on 28 January for bed rest and to undergo gestational sac tests because I have had four miscarriages before now.”
She highlighted dangers associated with such strikes, noting that lives could be lost because private hospitals are unaffordable for many.
Similarly, Faith Godwin, a patient at Karu General Hospital, reported that she was unable to receive medical attention.
Another patient, Stephen Adeniyi, who visited Asokoro District Hospital, expressed frustration over being denied care despite travelling from Abuja Teaching Hospital.
Mr Adeniyi also complained about transportation costs incurred and the lack of medical attention, despite having prior appointments with doctors.
“We incurred significant costs, yet no one attended to us. It’s frustrating, but I leave it all to God,” he said.
Skeletal services
At Nyanya General Hospital, patients shared varied experiences amidst the ongoing strike.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Tolani Ajayi, a patient on her way out of the hospital, lamented the absence of a doctor to attend to her.
Ms Ajayi said: “There are no doctor services available. Only some nurses and the record department are on duty, but doctors are absent.”
Another patient, Hauwa Dikko said she received medical attention without any noticeable disruption, despite the ongoing strike.
A hospital management official, speaking anonymously, said limited services were still being provided in selected departments.
“This is an hospital, and we deal with life-and-death situations as such, we cannot strictly adhere to the strike, as it would compromise patient care,” the official noted.
Doctors’ demands
The president of the ARD FCTA, George Ebong, announced that the strike was initiated over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other unmet demands.
The key grievances of the association include six months of unpaid arrears, delayed accoutrement allowances, and unpaid hazard allowances.
According to Mr Ebong, doctors who have been promoted are also still receiving salaries based on their previous positions, despite taking on more responsibilities.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday afternoon, Mr Ebong said if their demands are not met, the association plans to embark on an indefinite strike, which would severely impact healthcare services in Abuja.
“We are still hoping our demands are met but if not, we will embark on an indefinite strike,” he said.
“Doctors will resume back to work by 8:00 a.m on Saturday as the 3 days warning strike ends today.”
Unfulfilled promises
One of the resident doctors at Wuse General Hospital and a past secretary of the association, Mustapha Ibrahim explained that the strike was a last resort after months of unfulfilled promises by health authorities.
Mr Ibrahim explained that the strike was initially scheduled to begin two weeks ago after issuing an ultimatum, but the doctors decided to grant further consideration.
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“We had a 21-day ultimatum in December, after that elapsed, we had an emergency general meeting two weeks ago where the management, from all the interactions regarding our demands, pleaded for another two weeks,” he said.
“The strike was supposed to commence two weeks ago, but we gave them further consideration.”
According to him, the doctors’ demands include the payment of training allowances, hazard allowances, and salary arrears, all of which have been budgeted for and approved.
“These are as basic as training allowances for doctors in training, like me, in obstetrics and gynaecology. Hazard allowances, too, are part of our demands, and it is disheartening that despite being approved in the budget, the funds are still not released,” he said.
Mr Ibrahim emphasised the financial strain on doctors, many of whom are struggling to meet basic needs.
“A doctor just needs basic earnings. Some newly employed doctors, six months in, are already taking loans, yet they cannot settle six months’ arrears. It’s still telling on their welfare because they’re battling with loans as a result of that deficit,” he said.
He expressed regret over the impact of strikes on patients but argued that doctors are left with no choice.
“We have lost loved ones because of the consequences of strikes. But when the lives of doctors and healthcare workers are reduced to zero, there’s nothing we can do,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s as bad as doctors lacking transport money to get to work.”
