The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has embarked on a seven-day warning strike to protest what it described as deep-rooted systemic failures in the FCT health sector.
The decision was contained in a communiqué signed by ARD-FCT President, Dr George Ebong, and other members of the executive committee.
According to the doctors, the strike is intended to draw urgent attention to the need for comprehensive reforms in Abuja’s healthcare system.
Dr Ebong explained that resident doctors across the FCT are under immense strain, often compelled to cover multiple departments due to a chronic shortage of staff and resources.
The association stressed that meaningful reforms are required to address the challenges confronting both medical professionals and patients.
Only last month, the union appealed to government authorities to urgently tackle the worsening difficulties within the city’s health sector.
Dr Ebong identified manpower shortages, non-functional equipment, poor working conditions, and unpaid staff allowances as critical areas requiring intervention. He warned that continued neglect could lead to the collapse of the entire healthcare system.
He further urged the FCT administration to prioritise workforce development, noting that since the last major recruitment drive in 2011, many doctors had exited the system through retirement, death, or emigration without replacement.
