The Federal Capital Territory branch of the Nigerian Medical Association has issued a 14-day strike ultimatum to the management of the National Hospital, Abuja, on Friday, demanding the reinstatement of three doctors who were dismissed after being casualised for three years at the hospital.
The association warned that its members at the hospital would embark on a total and indefinite strike beginning June 30, 2025, if the doctors are not reinstated.
In a memo addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud, and dated June 13, 2025, the association stated that if the doctors were not reinstated after seven days of commencing the strike, all NMA members in the FCT would join the action.
The decision, it noted, was reached during its Ordinary General Meeting held in Abuja on June 11, 2025.
The memo, signed by the NMA FCT Chairman, Dr. Ayogu Emeka, and the Assistant Secretary, Dr. Usman Hafiz, was titled “Notice of 14 days strike ultimatum for vehemently refusing to reinstate our disengaged members.”
It partly read, “It has become imperative to formally communicate the position and decision of the Supreme Congress of NMA FCT Branch regarding the disengagement of our members who were casualised as locum consultants for three years without any justifiable reason from the management of National Hospital, Abuja.
“The Congress of the NMA FCT Branch frowns at this sad development after extensively deliberating on the matter at our OGM, where members consider the action by NHA management as selective victimisation and scapegoating of three medical doctors (consultants) out of the 30 in the same category.”
The association said several advocacy efforts had been made to resolve the issue amicably, but these were unheeded.
“Sir, recall the NMA FCT made numerous entreaties and embarked on advocacy visits to the management of your hospital, appealing to it to reverse the sad and ill-treatment meted out to our members all in a bid to ensure harmonious working relationship and to forestall disruption of healthcare services to the good people of FCT and beyond.
“These included advocacy visits by the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Bala M. Audu, high-level advocacy visits led by the Chairman of NMA FCT, and a high-level advocacy committee whose membership includes very senior doctors of enviable and reputable characters, so you reconsider and reinstate the affected members. Despite all the peaceful approaches by the association, there has been no positive response or action taken to address this crucial issue,” it said.
The memo also cited broader implications of the dismissals, linking them to ongoing challenges in the Nigerian health sector.
“Among other reasons advanced by the various stakeholders that met with your management on this matter was the mass migration of Nigerian medical professionals abroad, which has further strained our healthcare system, leading to critical shortages and increased workloads for those remaining.
“The disengagement of our members exacerbates these issues, contributing to deteriorating mental health and economic hardship among doctors. The stress of understaffing coupled with the fear of unjust termination has led to anxiety, reduced productivity, and financial insecurity among members,” it emphasised.
Having exhausted all diplomatic channels, the NMA FCT said it has no other option but to activate industrial action.
“It is with deep regret that we inform you that having exhausted all peaceful means without any positive result, the association is left with no other option but to initiate a two-week strike action notice, starting from 15th of June 2025 to midnight of 29th of June 2025, following which members at the National Hospital Abuja will proceed on a total and indefinite strike action from the 30th of June 2025 and if those members are not reinstated after seven days of commencing the strike in National Hospital, Abuja, the entire members of the NMA FCT branch will join them in a total and indefinite strike action.
“We urge the hospital management to treat this matter with the utmost urgency and seriousness it deserves to avoid the disruption of services that will adversely affect patients and the health sector of FCT at large.
“We look forward to seizing this opportunity to amicably resolve this matter satisfactorily within the stipulated time frame,” it added.
National hospital denies sacking doctors
Meanwhile, the National Hospital, Abuja, has denied reports that it dismissed three doctors from its workforce.
The Head of the Information and Protocol Management Department at the hospital, Maijamaa Adamu, made the clarification in a statement on Saturday
Adamu clarified that no doctor or consultant currently employed by the hospital has been dismissed.
He said: “We wish to state in categorical terms that, the National Hospital does not even contemplate laying off any category of its staff, talk less of doctors/consultants whose services are of great value to the hospital and the nation in general.
“In fact, our recent joy stems from approval granted by the Federal Government to recruit certain numbers of doctors and nurses, and the recruitment exercise is being meticulously carried out by a panel of inter agency representatives including supervisory ministries, in line with recruitment procedures of the Federal Government.
“Perhaps, the bone of contention is consultants that have completed their residency training in the National Hospital and have been engaged on temporary arrangement popularly called locum. This is purely an adhoc arrangement of the National Hospital, with a time frame of six months, renewable if conditions warrant, and does not in anyway amount to employment, which the hospital management does not have such mandate.
“When, however, employment opportunities arise, considerations are given to those consultants as was the case when in late 2023 permission was granted to the hospital for 83 slots of employment, 10 of which were for consultants.
“In the magnanimity of the hospital management, all the 10 slots were taken by the existing Locum Consultants in a bid to address the problem.”
It noted that for the avoidance of doubts, the official position is that, on completion of residency training, such consultants are free to take their exit and seek for employment elsewhere in the absence of vacancy to absorb them in the hospital.
“The management in such circumstances gives six months exit notice to them as obtainable in other tertiary hospitals.
“Opting to retain them on the locum arrangement, is an extra magnanimous policy of the management that is mutually beneficial to both parties, and is absolutely subject to favourable operational conditions of the moment, as there is no formal commitment for absorption since that is beyond the powers of the hospital management,” it added.
Sunday Trust
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