Resident doctors in the FCT down tools over poor welfare, unpaid salaries, and manpower shortage as patients struggle for limited care
Hospitals across Abuja have been thrown into partial paralysis as the strike by the Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT) enters its fifth day, leaving patients with only skeletal services. The seven-day warning strike, which began on 8 September, is scheduled to run until 15 September, after which doctors will review their action depending on the government’s response.
The doctors accuse the FCT Administration of failing to address long-standing grievances, including lack 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.
A visit to major hospitals in the capital city revealed deserted hallways and empty wards, with nurses, consultants, and a few medical officers providing only emergency and critical care. Outpatient departments have largely shut down, while other routine services remain suspended.
At the Asokoro District Hospital, the once-busy corridors were noticeably scanty. Staff confirmed that all patients had been discharged before the strike commenced, and there are currently no patients on admission. A mother, Uzurame Samuel, who visited the hospital to obtain a medical report for her son, expressed shock at the deserted environment. She said she had previously delivered her children at the facility and was surprised by the silence that greeted her. “When I came, the place was not crowded. I didn’t even know they were on strike. I was surprised that the place was so scanty. I’m not seeing doctors around like before. I thought they had done some reforms,” she remarked.
Similarly, Maitama District Hospital offered only partial services. While antenatal care (ANC) services continued uninterrupted, other essential medical services were suspended. A pregnant woman, Peace Michael, who came for ANC, confirmed that the strike had not affected her routine checkup. Another man, Nwankwo Bright, who accompanied his wife, explained that they were attended to by nurses, not doctors, noting that only ANC services were available. The hospital, however, had stopped admitting new patients.
Karshi General Hospital maintained limited operations compared to the near-empty wards of Asokoro and Maitama. Although antenatal registration and laboratory services were ongoing, patients who required consultations with doctors were turned back. A woman who registered for antenatal care said she was able to complete the process but stressed that consultations with doctors would have to wait until the strike ends. “If you want to register for antenatal, you can go there. If you want to do tests, you can go, but you won’t be able to see the doctor,” she explained.
Speaking on the strike, ARD-FCT President, George Egbong, described it as a “last resort” after repeated appeals to the FCT Administration were ignored. He said many hospitals in the territory are struggling with depleted manpower and worsening working conditions, leaving doctors overstretched and demoralised. “We cannot continue to work under these conditions without putting our own health and the safety of patients at risk,” he stated. He added that the association remains open to dialogue if authorities demonstrate a genuine commitment to resolving the issues.
The crisis in Abuja mirrors broader unrest in the health sector nationwide. At the national level, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has also raised similar concerns and threatened a five-day nationwide warning strike beginning Friday, 12 September. In a communiqué issued after its extraordinary national executive council meeting, NARD listed grievances including non-payment of five months’ arrears from the 25/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, delayed release of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), and downgrading of membership certificates from the West African Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
The association further condemned state governments that have failed to pay the MRTF, describing their actions as “gross insensitivity.” With resident doctors forming the bulk of the workforce in tertiary hospitals across Nigeria, strikes of this nature often cripple healthcare delivery and leave patients stranded. For now, patients in Abuja remain caught in limbo, relying only on limited services while anxiously awaiting a resolution between the doctors and government authorities.
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