Abuja Hospitals Remain Grounded As Doctors' Strike Enters Day 2

The indefinite strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, entered its second day on Tues...

The indefinite strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, entered its second day on Tuesday, leaving patients stranded and health workers overstretched.

When Daily Trust visited Wuse General Hospital, the absence of doctors was glaring.

Nurses were seen attending to patients, but many services had been suspended.

'I'm a patient. The nurses have been of help,' a visiting patient, Isah Amin, told our correspondent. In the kidney dialysis unit, only one patient was attended to. Her husband, Enogieru Efosa, visibly worried, said: 'I'm here with my wife for kidney dialysis. We were here on Monday, but they couldn't attend to us. Today (Tuesday), she's the only patient being attended to.'

During the visit, a man was rushed in under emergency circumstances. Relatives said they were searching for a nurse familiar with the case.

At Maitama District Hospital, the situation was similar. No doctor was seen on site, while nurses and administrative staff tried to manage the flow of patients.

A worker at one of the hospital's pay points said there was a sharp drop in patient numbers.

'Today, just a few people have come to make payment, unlike when there was no strike,' the worker, who declined to be named, said.

A patient on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Somto Lovelyn, also expressed frustration.

'Those days, doctors didn't go on strike because of essential services. It's quite unfortunate,' she said.

The situation was the same at the Asokoro District Hospital.

A security officer at the entrance of the accident and emergency unit confirmed that patients were being turned back.

'Patients are being turned back because it is the doctors who prescribe the drugs they need. So, without doctors, what's the point?' he said.

At the Kubwa General Hospital, services remain severely disrupted by the ongoing doctors' strike.

When our reporter visited the hospital around 5pm yesterday, the male ward of the emergency unit was empty, while only a few patients were seen at the female wing.

One patient, John Elo, said he chose to visit the public hospital because of the availability of qualified doctors compared to nearby private clinics.

However, he explained that although health officials briefly examined him, he was asked to leave even though his condition required admission.

Another patient, Mrs. Ene Abu, who brought her sick child to the paediatric unit, said she met no officials on duty. 'I am now left with no choice but to take my son to a private clinic, even though he needs urgent care,' she lamented.

She was later seen leaving the hospital on a commercial motorcycle with her child.

ARD-FCT had declared an indefinite strike on Monday, following the 'failure of management to address our legitimate demands, even after a one-week warning strike.'

The association had earlier commenced a seven-day warning strike over what they called systemic failures in the FCT's health sector.

The doctors listed 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.

Speaking with Daily Trust, the President of ARD-FCT, George Ebong, said the government was yet to answer the doctors' demands.

'I'm currently in an executive meeting, but stepped out to take your call. The strike continues, as the government is yet to do the needful,' he told our correspondent in a telephone interview yesterday evening.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).