Resident doctors’ strike has halted services in Abuja hospitals, leaving patients stranded.
Activities in major public hospitals across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been crippled following the indefinite strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), according to The Guardian reporting. The industrial action has left patients and caregivers stranded as emergency and surgical units shut down services.
Visits to the National Hospital and Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, revealed that many wards were discharging patients due to the absence of doctors. A nurse confirmed that only minimal care was being offered, saying: “The doctors are not around; the consultants are not around. We are stabilising patients and referring critical cases to private hospitals.”
Despite government assurances to release ₦11.995 billion for outstanding arrears, NARD spokesperson Dr. Muhammad Suleiman stated, “We have 19 demands; that is the minimum threshold,” affirming that the strike would continue until all were met.
A police officer receiving treatment at the National Hospital appealed to the government to act swiftly, lamenting, “The nurses give me minor medication, but I can’t sleep due to the pain.”
The strike has further exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s healthcare system, as patients continue to bear the brunt of the prolonged standoff.