Rita Odafe
Doctors in Abuja have initiated a strike in response to being unpaid for the last seven months, affecting those who began work in 2023.
During a visit to Kubwa General Hospital, a reporter found that patients were turned away due to the ongoing strike.
This strike serves as a three-day warning and may lead to an indefinite strike if the government does not fulfill the doctors’ requests.
Previously, the Association of Resident Doctors had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FCT minister on December 23, demanding action. This ultimatum ended on January 6, 2025.
Key demands from the association, as stated by its president, Dr. George Ebong, include the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund for 2024, implementation of salary increments for 2023 hires, immediate payment of allowances, and the resolution of 13 months of outstanding hazard allowance.
One distressed parent, Ihiaka, shared her frustration as she was forced to seek treatment for her daughter at a pricey private hospital due to the strike.
She called on the FCT minister to meet the doctors’ needs and to focus on health and education sectors just as much as infrastructure development.
“If the citizens that are going to use the infrastructure have suffered negligence in the health sector, then truly the crucial purpose of the governance has been defeated,” she told Daily Trust.
In response to the situation, Dr. Babagana Adam, the FCT permanent Secretary for Health Services and Environmental Secretariat, has reportedly refrained from commenting.
