FCT resident doctors begin 7-days warning strike

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has begun a seven-day warning strike

ARD-FCT President, Dr. George Ebong, announced the strike in Abuja, following resolutions from an emergency general meeting on Friday, September 5. He said the action comes in response to the FCT Administration’s inaction despite multiple dialogues addressing unresolved issues affecting the association.

Key concerns raised by the doctors include inadequate manpower, the psychological strain of long working hours—which recently contributed to the death of a doctor in Port Harcourt—unpaid salaries, and unexplained deductions. Ebong noted that no new doctors have been employed in the FCT since 2011, describing the health system as a long-standing failure in urgent need of reform.

He emphasized that doctors often operate under extreme pressure, covering multiple departments, and called on the Federal Government to address the growing challenges in the health sector to prevent systemic collapse.

Other issues highlighted include poor working conditions, particularly in emergency and consulting rooms, and the recent death of a nurse from a snake bite at Abaji General Hospital.

Ebong stated that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has been repeatedly notified of these problems but has failed to act. He urged the FCT administration to declare a state of emergency for the 14 district and general hospitals and warned that the seven-day strike will proceed uninterrupted.

He further warned that if the administration does not address the demands within the week, the doctors will escalate to an indefinite strike. Ebong stressed that frontline health professionals must be included in decision-making and urged immediate reforms on staffing and welfare.

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