By LARA ADEJORO

Pregnant women, children, and elderly patients were left stranded in hospitals across the Federal Capital Territory on Monday as doctors under the Association of Resident Doctors in the FCT Administration commenced an indefinite strike.

The strike follows the expiration of a seven-day warning strike declared last week after months of unresolved negotiations with the FCTA management.

Hospitals have also discharged patients from several wards as the strike takes its toll.

In a communique signed by the ARD-FCTA President, Dr. George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong, the doctors said their demands had not been met despite repeated engagements with the authorities

The doctors are demanding the payment of salary arrears, ranging from one to six months, owed to members employed since 2023. They also want the immediate recruitment of new staff, settlement of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, and payment of arrears arising from the 25–35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.

In addition, they are asking for clear timelines for completing skipping and conversion processes for all members, along with the settlement of all accumulated arrears. They further called on the FCTA to address continuous erroneous deductions from members’ salaries and to rectify the irregular and erratic salary payment pattern.

They also demanded the conversion of post-Part II Fellows to the Consultant cadre within six months of passing, as well as documented timelines for promotion exercises with full arrears paid. Other demands include payment of wage award arrears, renovation and equipping of FCTA hospitals to world-class standards, payment of outstanding hazard allowance arrears, and settlement of salary arrears owed to newly employed external residents, who are currently owed three to four months’ pay.

The communique noted that following exhaustive deliberations at the close of the seven-day warning strike, Congress resolved to embark on an indefinite strike.

“After the most passionate and historic deliberations in ARD-FCT, Congress unanimously resolved that Congress shall embark on an indefinite strike action commencing 8:00 a.m., Monday, 15th September 2025, until the government and management demonstrate genuine commitment to making health in the FCT a priority,” the communique partly read.

Patients stranded, hospitals discharge patients

A visit to Wuse, Asokoro, and Maitama District Hospitals by The PUNCH revealed scores of stranded patients, including pregnant women, children, and the elderly.

Although consultant doctors, nurses, and a handful of other healthcare workers struggled to attend to patients, many patients complained that they were left unattended as a result of the strike.

At the Wuse District Hospital, Mrs. Juliet Chima said she brought her five-year-old daughter to see a paediatrician but could not find a doctor.

“I treated her for malaria and typhoid last month, but she keeps complaining of stomach pain. That’s why I came here today. Unfortunately, nobody attended to her.

“Meanwhile, I have paid N8,000 for cards and other things, only to be told no doctor would attend to me. I don’t know what to do. Going to a private clinic is expensive, and I can’t afford it.

“My daughter was supposed to resume school today, but she couldn’t because of the stomach pain. This is really frustrating,” she lamented.

Another mother, aged 35, said her eight-year-old daughter was unattended.

“I was here last week, and I was told to come today, but right now, the situation has gotten worse with the declaration of the indefinite strike. My daughter has been shivering. I can only think of administering Oral Rehydration Solution to her so she can be stabilised.

“The government should attend to the demands of the doctors. It’s not easy dealing with a health condition in this country. I have another baby I’m looking after, and I have to run around to ensure her sister is fine too,” she said.

A woman whose daughter complained of neck pain said she had to cry before nurses at the physiotherapy unit massaged her child’s neck.

“Others are not attended to at all,” she added.

A 69-year-old man, Mr. Osadolor, who came for a general medical check-up, said he had been repeatedly turned back.

“I was here last week and told to return because of the warning strike. Now, I am here again and still cannot see a doctor. I run medical check-ups a few weeks before my birthday, and this year’s seems impossible. But I pray the government listens to them and meets their demands,” he stated.

A pregnant woman who did not want her name mentioned said, “I was scheduled to see a doctor today, but there is no one to attend to me. Other expectant mothers who were assigned to nurses were attended to,” she explained.

Meanwhile, patients in the female medical ward, gynaecology ward, female surgical ward, emergency paediatric ward, and paediatric ward have been discharged due to the ongoing strike.

The female surgical ward, in particular, was firmly locked and inaccessible.

However, nurses are attending to children brought in for immunization and birth registration at the hospital.

The situation was not different at Asokoro District Hospital.

A pregnant woman who had been asked to return on September 15 after an earlier appointment on August 15 said she was shocked to discover doctors were unavailable.

Her husband, Mr. Obinna, said, “We were here last month and we were told to come today, only to hear that FCT doctors are on an indefinite strike. I actually thought they had suspended the strike, but I was told that the indefinite strike is for doctors in the FCT.

“I believe the FCT Minister (Nyesom Wike) can address the demands, and he should do the needful,” he emphasised.

Another pregnant woman said she waited in vain to see a doctor but was eventually told to go home.

“Other women have gone. I am waiting for my husband to pick me up. They said nobody is attending to us,” she said.

A mother who brought her son for a medical fitness check-up after running laboratory tests was also left frustrated.

“The tests are ready, but there’s no doctor to review them, interpret them, and certify him fit,” she said.

When our correspondent visited Maitama Hospital, it was observed that patients had also been discharged from the labour ward, female ward, male ward, paediatric ward, and ante/post-natal ward.

At the General Outpatient Department, only a single consultant doctor was on duty, attending to the patients who came in for check-ups and treatment.

A mother of twins, Mrs. Ojuolape Abe, who brought her children for treatment, said her children were not attended to.

“I was just told that the doctors are on strike, and there is nothing they can do,” she said angrily.

She appealed for urgent intervention, warning that prolonged disruption of healthcare services could lead to preventable complications and deaths.(Punch)

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