The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has declared a seven-day warning strike.
This was disclosed in a communique signed by its President, Dr. George Ebong, alongside other executive members.
The doctors described the FCT health system as suffering from long-standing systemic failures that require urgent and comprehensive reform.
Ebong noted that resident doctors in the FCT are under intense pressure, often forced to cover multiple departments simultaneously. He urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the mounting challenges within the health sector, cautioning that prolonged neglect could lead to total collapse.
The association also highlighted manpower shortages, non-functional equipment, poor working conditions, and unpaid allowances as pressing concerns. Additionally, it raised issues of delayed promotions, unpaid salaries, and underpayment of promoted staff, stressing that government action is crucial to boost morale and improve service delivery.
Ebong further insisted that frontline health workers must be part of decision-making processes. The association gave the FCT administration a one-week deadline to initiate meaningful reforms in staffing and welfare, warning that failure to comply would result in a one-week warning strike.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isaq Salako, expressed optimism that ongoing discussions with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) could avert the strike.
“The National Association of Resident Doctors has issued an ultimatum, but I believe with the level of conversation ongoing, we had a meeting on Monday; we are making progress,” he said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
According to him, the main challenge is the outstanding residency training allowance, with about 40% of the 2025 allocation yet to be paid.
He assured that talks are in progress, adding: “That is my hope, and that is what we are working on.”