Health services continue in Abuja, Lagos hospitals amid medical consultants’ strike

The association had on Monday declared a seven-day warning strike over alleged government’s failure to take significant steps in addressing its demands.

Despite the ongoing strike by members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), health services are still being rendered in some hospitals in Abuja, the nation’s capital city, and Lagos State.

While the strike has disrupted elective services in some facilities, findings by PREMIUM TIMES show that emergency and critical care remain operational as hospitals attempt to mitigate the impact of the industrial action.

The association had on Monday declared a seven-day warning strike over alleged government’s failure to take significant steps in addressing its demands.

The strike, which commenced in all Nigerian universities and hospitals in the early hours of Monday, 18 November, is expected to continue until 24 November, unless the federal government intervenes.

MDCAN is an association of medical and dental consultants who are specialists in various fields of medicine and dentistry, holding the highest qualifications in their professions.

Their responsibilities include training medical doctors, providing specialist healthcare services to patients, and conducting research across medical fields.

MDCAN’s members work in government and non-governmental hospitals, as well as tertiary and secondary health facilities nationwide.

Impact on health services

At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, patients reported mixed experiences. While emergency cases are being attended to, many visitors expressed frustrations over delays.

“I came this morning, only to be told some people are on strike. I honestly don’t know what to do right now,” said a visibly upset woman.

Another patient said he visited the hospital yesterday but wasn’t attended to due to the strike. He was told to return early in the morning to be among the 20 people who would be attended to during the early hours of the day.

“I learnt consultants are on strike but if you come early they will attend to you, it is only 20 people per day they attend to. I was here yesterday, I couldn’t do anything, I had to go back home”.

A doctor at the emergency ward said only patients with emergency cases will be attended to. “Consultant doctors are on strike, but patients at the emergency wards are still being attended to, as long as it is an emergency you can come straight to the ward,” he said.

At Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, health activities were still being carried out with no disruption as they did not take part in the strike.

“They have been attending to people since morning but only that the procedure is slow and tiring,” a patient at the dental ward said.

Asokoro District Hospital was also providing uninterrupted services, maintaining its regular operations and ensuring continuity of patient care.

Normal patient flow and hospital activities were observed. Medical services, including consultations and treatments, were being provided without interruption. Hospital staff were carrying out their duties as expected, and no visible signs of disruption or disturbance were noted at the time PREMIUM TIMES’ visited

A staff member from the Servicom unit, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the hospital has not joined the strike. “I know that there should be a strike, but there’s no strike here,” she said. “Normally, this hospital is a Good Samaritan, even if there’s a strike. If it’s serious, they will be the last to join.”

Samuel Godwin, a parent who brought his daughter to the hospital for surgery, also attested to the hospital’s normal operations.

“I brought my daughter earlier this morning, and I haven’t noticed any disruption of activities.

“One would hardly know if there’s a strike. In fact, I wasn’t aware of it until you mentioned it. My daughter is about to be operated on; if there was a strike, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.

Furthermore, Hauwa Ibrahim, a pregnant woman who visited the hospital for antenatal care, reported receiving prompt attention. “I came for my antenatal appointment and was attended to without any delay,” she said.

Skeletal activities were also going on at the National Hospital, Abuja when our reporter visited.

The hospital’s spokesperson, Tayo Haastrup, said the hospital is attending to emergency cases.

“We are attending to critical and emergency cases, but if it is not an emergency, we cannot admit the patient for now,” he said.

He, however, said resident doctors and other healthcare workers are on duty.

LASUTH

Patients at LASUTH are receiving attention across various departments, including surgical outpatient, physiotherapy, eye clinic, and medical emergency.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter observed that resident doctors and nurses were still attending to patients despite the ongoing strike.

Biola Adeyeni, a patient waiting outside the eye clinic said: “It doesn’t seem like there’s a strike because we’re being attended to without delay.”

Victor Oladimeji, another patient leaving the clinic, also noted that services at the hospital are not disrupted.

“As long as doctors are available, I don’t think the consultants going on strike has any negative impact.”

An official who doesn’t want to be named confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that resident doctors are attending to patients now.

“Hospitals won’t collapse because consultants are on strike,” the source said.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, the Chairman of the MDCAN LASUTH branch, Olayinka Atilola, clarified that despite no industrial dispute with Lagos State, they must participate in the national strike. However, emergency services will continue.

An earlier communique to branch members signed by the chairman stated that the strike would affect only elective services while emergency and in-patient services would continue without any disruption.

It added that members who are staff of the LASU College of Medicine will continue to give their lectures but shall not participate in any major examinations in the college within the period of the strike.

“That MDCAN LASUTH will intensify all ongoing engagements to ensure that all the current homegrown solutions to the issues leading to the strike are improved upon and institutionalised for sustainability,” it added.

Consultants demand

MDCAN, in a communique signed by its National President, Mohammad Mohammad, expressed concerns over the exclusion of medical and dental lecturers in the selection process for the Vice-Chancellor position at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

The association criticised the criteria used in the appointment process, which it argued unfairly sidelined qualified medical and dental professionals.

It also demanded the harmonisation of the retirement age for medical and dental consultants to 70 years to help curb the impact of doctor migration.

Additionally, it calls for medical lecturers to be paid according to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments.

“From September 2023, we moved the strike to January 2024. There was an ultimatum in January, but the federal government pleaded, promising to address our demands within six weeks, but they failed,” Mr Mohammad told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview on Tuesday afternoon.

He said the association eventually waited till May and September 2024 for the government to take action and address its demands, yet no major steps were taken.

“It was in October we gave 21 days ultimatum. You would notice that we are not interested in going on strike that is why we still gave a one-week window after the ultimatum expired,”.

He said the MDCAN has 83 chapters representing 83 teaching hospitals, Federal Medical Centres (FMC) and specialist hospitals, and they are all complying with the ongoing strike.

Way forward

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Ipalibo Banigo, is meeting with the striking medical consultants on Wednesday.

Mr Mohammad confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES, noting that the association is hopeful for a positive outcome.

He said: “We have a meeting with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health on Wednesday afternoon, and we will definitely be there.

“All we need is concrete actions because promises have been made for over a year and a half, and it’s still yet unfulfilled.”