By Sarah NEGEDU
Resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday began a one-week warning strike, following what they describe as years of structural decay and neglect of the health sector.
The Association of Resident Doctors in the FCT announced the action in a communiqué signed by its President, George Ebong, and other executive members.
The doctors described Abuja’s health system as one crippled by long-standing deficiencies and called for urgent and comprehensive reforms.
Ebong said resident doctors in the territory are under immense strain, often forced to run multiple departments at the same time.
He warned that persistent neglect could trigger “a systemic collapse,” and urged the federal government to urgently tackle manpower shortages, non-functional equipment, unpaid allowances, and poor working conditions.
The association also raised concerns over unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, and underpayment of promoted staff, insisting that morale and efficiency in service delivery hinged on immediate reforms.
Ebong further stressed that frontline health workers must be actively involved in decision-making processes.
The communiqué handed the FCT Administration a one-week ultimatum to initiate meaningful reforms, particularly in staffing and welfare, or face sustained industrial action.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, speaking on television, expressed optimism that ongoing discussions with the National Association of Resident Doctors would prevent the strike from escalating.
“The National Association of Resident Doctors has issued an ultimatum, but I believe with the level of conversation ongoing, we are making progress. We had a meeting on Monday,” Salako said.
He explained that the main issue was the unpaid residency training allowance, noting that about 40 per cent of the 2025 allocation had yet to be disbursed.
