•Hospital services grounded in Abuja
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, commenced an indefinite strike yesterday, grounding services in district hospitals and primary healthcare centres, and it’s ongoing.
The strike was announced in a communique by ARD-FCT, signed by its president, George Ebong, and general secretary, Agbor Affiong.
“The Association of Resident Doctors, FCTA, at its Emergency General Meeting held on 14 September 2025, resolved to embark on an indefinite strike action with effect from 8am, Monday, 15 September 2025.
“This decision follows the failure of management to address our legitimate demands, even after a one-week warning strike,” the communique said.
The ARD-FCT had earlier commenced a seven-day warning strike over what they called systemic failures in the FCT’s health sector, reports Daily Trust.
The doctors highlighted poor welfare conditions, unpaid salaries, unexplained deductions, acute manpower shortages, the psychological toll of long working hours, and the absence of new recruitment in FCT hospitals since 2011 as pressing concerns.
Checks at the Kubwa General Hospital revealed that the strike has crippled services.
Findings showed that patients now only visit for scans, X-rays, and laboratory tests, while the theatres where surgeries are conducted have remained shut since the warning strike began.
Some patients were seen leaving the facility without receiving medical services.
A source in the hospital, who did not want to be quoted, however, said that the impact of the strike is not really felt.
“Nurses and consultants are available. Just that sometimes they are overwhelmed, because it’s only them working,” the source said.
The Head of Theatre, Mr Sani Samaila, told our correspondent that a consultant performed an operation in the theatre yesterday.
“An emergency operation was carried out yesterday (Monday) morning by a consultant. It was a staff-related case,” he said.
A visiting patient, Hassan Abubakar, said he was in the hospital for a scan and possibly to consult a doctor, but was informed that no doctor was available.
He said, “I was in the hospital on Monday morning for a scan. I was attended to but couldn’t see a doctor. I thought they had called off the strike.
“These people must consider patients. They suffer mostly.”
Chuks Chinyere, a retired teacher receiving treatment for hypertension, said she had been left unattended since the strike began.
“I was at the hospital for my regular check-up and medication refill, but there was no doctor to attend to me. My blood pressure is rising and I am afraid for my life,” she lamented.
Mukailu Hammed, who brought his aged mother for treatment, said the strike has worsened her condition.
“She needs regular check-ups for arthritis, but the hospital is empty. We cannot afford private hospitals,” he said.
The patients called on both the government and striking doctors to resolve the impasse urgently to save lives.
It was learnt that at the Bwari General Hospital, nurses had continued to manage cases and attend to patients with urgent needs.
The situation is similar in Wuse, Asokoro, and Maitama district hospitals, where patients were observed leaving without receiving care.
Additional grievances
The doctors also decried the continued non-payment of salaries owed to members employed since 2023, despite repeated engagements with management.
They noted that the non-release of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) has left members indebted and unable to meet mandatory training obligations.
They further condemned the lack of recruitment of new doctors, despite what they described as an “obvious manpower crisis” that has exposed members to unbearable physical, emotional, and psychological strain, sometimes leading to avoidable stress-related deaths.
Demands
The doctors are demanding, amongst others, the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears to members employed since 2023.
They 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 the 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.
FCT permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Babagana Adam, could not be reached for comments.
