FCT Resident Doctors Begin Seven-Day Warning Strike Over Systemic Failures

Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), strike as Health services face disruption in the FCT on Friday, September 5, declared a seven-day warning strike over what it described as a “long-standing systemic failure” in the territory’s health sector.

Announcing the decision in Abuja, ARD-FCT President, Dr. George Ebong, said the action followed an emergency general meeting where members resolved that persistent neglect by the FCT Administration had left doctors with no choice but to down tools.

Doctors Strike NARD

Among the grievances raised were severe manpower shortages, the psychological toll of excessive working hours linked to the recent death of a doctor in Port Harcourt unpaid salaries, unexplained deductions, and the lack of new employment since 2011.

“The FCT health system is collapsing before our eyes. We have repeatedly engaged the administration, including the Honourable Minister, Nyesom Wike, yet nothing has been done,” Ebong lamented.

The doctors also cited unsafe working conditions, pointing to a tragic case where a nurse at Abaji General Hospital died following a snake bite due to inadequate emergency facilities.

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Ebong demanded that the FCT Administration declare a state of emergency in all 14 district and general hospitals, stressing that the strike would remain uninterrupted for the full seven days. He warned that if the issues were not resolved within the ultimatum, doctors would embark on an indefinite strike.

The association further urged that frontline health workers be included in decision-making processes, arguing that only those in direct service delivery understand the true extent of the crisis.

FG Moves to Avert Strike

Reacting to the development, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isaq Salako, expressed optimism that ongoing talks with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) would yield a breakthrough.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Salako acknowledged that the residency training allowance remained a major sticking point, with about 40 per cent of the 2025 allocation yet to be paid.

“The National Association of Resident Doctors has issued an ultimatum, but I believe with the level of conversation ongoing, we are making progress,” Salako said. “That is my hope, and that is what we are working on.”

Mounting Pressure

The strike has already stirred anxiety among FCT residents, with fears of overstretched services in tertiary hospitals as patients seek alternatives. Civil society groups have urged both sides to avoid escalation, warning that an indefinite strike could cripple an already fragile health system.

As the seven-day clock ticks, stakeholders are watching closely to see if the Federal Government and the FCT Administration will act decisively to avert what many fear could be a full-scale health crisis.