The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD FCTA) has launched a three-day warning strike over unpaid pay, allowances, and other demands.
The strike has disrupted operations at Abuja’s federal hospitals.
Dr George Ebong, President of ARD FCTA, announced this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.
Dr. Ebong explained that the strike occurred after the physicians’ three-week ultimatum from last year expired.
Speaking on behalf of ARD, Dr. Ebong lamented the neglect of hospitals and doctors’ wellbeing in the nation’s capital.
He emphasised that doctors in Abuja have become abandoned projects, and urged the Minister of FCT, Nyesome Wike, to act to prevent hospitals from closing indefinitely.
According to him, the decision to go on a three-day warning strike stems from the members’ Congress convened on Tuesday.
“The three-day strike is being implemented across all government hospitals in Abuja. From Wuse to Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya, and other all of our hospitals in Abuja.
“We gave the government a three-week ultimatum to meet our demands, and after that, we met with them and dialogued on several occasions. They pleaded for two weeks, but after that elapsed, nothing has been done. Not even the minimum thing. We expected them to pay for the 6 months of unpaid arrears to doctors”.
Honestly, doctors have been abandoned projects. Just as the roads are being constructed, the welfare of doctors should be considered by the minister.
“After this three-day strike, we will do an appraisal. If nothing is done, we will go on an indefinite strike.
“We want the Minister of FCT to solve this problem to avert an indefinite shutdown of the hospitals in Abuja,” he said during the press briefing on Wednesday.
In December 2024, ARD FCTA warned of an impending shutdown over failure to meet its demands.
