After nearly a week of halted medical services, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has announced the suspension of its ongoing strike. This move comes as a sigh of relief for thousands of Abuja residents dependent on public hospitals, even though the core grievances that prompted the industrial action remain unaddressed.
Confirming the development to Premium Times on Friday, ARD-FCT president Dr. George Ebong stated that work will officially resume at 8 a.m. on Monday. “We are suspending the strike to begin work at 8 a.m. on Monday morning,” Dr. Ebong explained. “The Senate Committee on Federal Territory Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, chaired by David Jimkuta, intervened.”
Despite this temporary reprieve, Dr. Ebong was clear that the doctors’ demands—ranging from unpaid salaries to urgent hospital upgrades—have yet to be met. “Even though none of our demands have been met yet, they assured us that they will talk to the minister, and the congress has decided to believe what the Senate said,” he stated, reflecting a sense of cautious optimism mixed with ongoing concern.
He noted that the association’s congress will reconvene to review the government’s interventions within a specified period. If there is no substantial progress, Dr. Ebong emphasized, the union would not hesitate to take further action. “Congress will reassemble to reassess the interventions within the agreed timeframe, and if nothing is done, Congress will take the next line of action,” he added.
Strike Background: Reasons and Demands
The resident doctors had downed tools earlier in the week, following months of stalled negotiations with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Their strike, which lasted five days, had a severe impact on FCT healthcare delivery—routine care was suspended, and hospitals were compelled to discharge patients, leaving many in urgent need of medical attention.
At the centre of the doctors’ grievances are unpaid salary arrears ranging from one to six months, owed to members hired since 2023. The striking physicians have also called for:
- Immediate payment of salary arrears to all affected doctors
- Prompt recruitment of additional staff to ease the workload on existing personnel
- Settlement of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund
- Full implementation and payment of arrears relating to the recent 25% and 35% increment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure
- Establishment of clear timelines for addressing skipped promotions and conversion processes for all members
- Correction of erroneous salary deductions and irregular payments
- Immediate disbursement of wage award arrears, as has reportedly been done for federal and state colleagues
- Payment of 13 months’ outstanding hazard allowance arrears and all funds owed to 2025 external residents
- Urgent renovation, equipping, and modernization of all FCTA hospitals to meet internationally accepted standards
According to the ARD-FCTA, each of these demands reflects longstanding challenges faced by doctors working across the 14 district and general hospitals, as well as in the Department of Public Health under the FCTA umbrella. For many practitioners, the lack of a regular salary and poor working conditions undermine not just their financial security but also their ability to deliver quality patient care.
Ripple Effects: Local, National, and Regional Perspective
The immediate consequence of the strike was glaring—the withdrawal of doctors from government facilities crippled healthcare services, leaving emergency departments stretched and critical cases at risk. Many patients, some of whom travelled long distances from satellite towns and neighboring states, were left stranded. Families in Abuja recounted frantic searches for alternative care or private facilities, with some reportedly returning home without seeing a doctor.
The strike also raised alarm among health policy experts, who warned about the cascading consequences of workforce instability in the sector. According to Dr. Chika Okafor, a health systems analyst in Lagos, “Frequent disputes over pay and work conditions weaken public trust in government hospitals and can trigger a brain drain, as skilled professionals seek more secure opportunities abroad or in the private sector.”
Strikes by health workers are not unique to Nigeria—across Africa, doctors’ associations in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa have all staged industrial actions in recent years to demand better pay and working conditions. However, Nigeria’s challenges are compounded by its status as Africa’s most populous nation, high doctor-to-patient ratios, and budgetary constraints that restrict prompt government response to industrial demands.
Government Response and Ongoing Negotiations
The Senate’s intervention, as described by Dr. Ebong, was central to the decision to temporarily suspend the strike. Lawmakers have promised to facilitate dialogue between the doctors and the relevant FCTA authorities, including the Minister of the FCT. This approach, while promising, is not without precedent. In previous strikes, legislative mediation has sometimes eased tensions, but implementation of agreements has often lagged behind, leading to renewed cycles of protest.
A senior official familiar with the negotiations—who requested anonymity—noted, “The government is aware of the pressure and is reviewing options for meeting the doctors’ demands, but budgetary limitations and bureaucratic delays remain significant hurdles.” While stakeholders await concrete action, observers say the spotlight now falls squarely on both the executive and legislative arms to ensure commitments are met in good faith.
Public Reaction: Voices from Abuja and Beyond
In various Abuja communities, patients and ordinary citizens have expressed mixed feelings about the suspension of the strike. While many welcome the return to work, they remain skeptical about the sustainability of the truce, especially given the unresolved nature of the doctors’ grievances.
Fatima Yusuf, a mother of three who frequents an FCT general hospital, said, “I appreciate that the doctors are going back to work, but we all know these problems come up again and again. Patients suffer the most, so we hope the government does what is right this time.”
Professional bodies and advocacy groups have also weighed in, urging the authorities to act swiftly to prevent further disruption. Some analysts have called for systemic reforms, including better planning for healthcare worker remuneration and improved facility funding, to forestall future crises. According to a recent report by the Nigerian Medical Association, there are fewer than four doctors per 10,000 people in some regions of Nigeria—a far cry from the World Health Organization’s recommendations, and a stark indicator of the resource gap facing the sector.
Broader Implications and Next Steps
The ARD-FCTA’s action underscores larger systemic issues within Nigeria’s public healthcare system, from chronic underfunding to the slow pace of implementing promised reforms. The FCT doctors’ experience mirrors that of their counterparts across West Africa, where inadequate pay, resource shortages, and delayed entitlements have fueled unrest and impacted long-term development goals.
As attention turns to the next phase of negotiations, stakeholders are calling for greater transparency and accountability from all parties involved. With the threat of another strike looming if timelines and promises are not honored, the effectiveness of the Senate’s mediation—and the willingness of government agencies to translate promises into real change—remains under close scrutiny.
For now, Abuja’s public hospitals prepare to reopen their doors, and the city’s residents hope for an end to service disruptions. But for many, lingering questions persist about whether this reprieve is truly the beginning of sustainable solutions—or merely a pause before the next chapter in a familiar cycle of industrial disputes.
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