FMC Abeokuta resident doctors down tools over insecurity, assault

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, has declared a five-day warning strike over the assault on a doctor and persistent security challenges at the hospital.

The strike took effect from 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, following an Emergency General Meeting held at the ARD Lounge.

The association said the action was triggered by the assault on a doctor on Wednesday, but noted that it was part of a pattern of aggression and insecurity facing doctors and other health workers at the centre.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by its President, Dr Olanipekun Quadri, and General Secretary, Dr Olorunfemi Solomon, the association said several demands previously presented to management remain unresolved.

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It listed the unresolved issues as the failure to compensate house officers who lost personal belongings during a theft at their quarters on June 4, 2026, poor illumination of areas used for night duties, and porous security at the Emergency Treatment Room.

The ARD said the ETR remains “excessively porous”, with unrestricted movement of patients’ relatives and unauthorised persons, exposing staff to confrontation and assault. It added that adequate security personnel, including armed personnel, had not been deployed to strategic locations.

It also faulted a recent publication attributed to SERVICOM, which it said prejudiced public perception against doctors despite an investigation panel already set up by management to probe the incident.

To address the situation, the association demanded immediate compensation for affected house officers, deployment of armed security personnel to high-risk areas, strengthening of security and access control at the ETR, and provision of functional lighting.

Other demands include an official public rebuttal of misinformation on social media, display of standardised admission and emergency protocols, relocation of payment points outside the ETR, installation of CCTV cameras, abolition of the waiting area inside the ETR, and immediate prosecution of the culprit who assaulted the doctor.

“The continued recurrence of these concerns, despite such assurances, has left the Association with serious reservations regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the interventions undertaken to date.

“The Association remains committed to constructive engagement and meaningful dialogue with Hospital Management and all relevant stakeholders towards achieving a safe, secure and conducive environment for healthcare delivery at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

“The Association urges Hospital Management to take immediate, concrete, and verifiable steps towards addressing these concerns in the interest of the safety and welfare of healthcare workers, patient safety, industrial harmony and uninterrupted delivery of quality healthcare services,” the communique added.

The association stressed that the warning strike does not withdraw or replace the 21-day ultimatum previously issued to management, adding that all demands in the ultimatum remain valid and subsisting.

It said it remains open to dialogue but urged management to take immediate, concrete and verifiable steps to guarantee the safety of health workers and uninterrupted healthcare delivery.

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