Resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory have embarked on a seven-day warning strike, worsening the crisis in Abuja hospitals over what they described as government neglect and the deepening rot in the health sector.
In a communique issued by the Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter (ARD-FCT), its President, Dr. George Ebong, along with other executives, accused authorities of “running the system aground” and compelling doctors to work under “inhumane conditions.”
The doctors said the FCT health system was collapsing under the weight of “systemic failure,” citing acute manpower shortages, broken medical equipment, unpaid allowances, and poor working conditions that have left health professionals overstretched and demoralised.
“Doctors in the FCT are under immense pressure, many of us are forced to cover multiple departments daily. The government’s neglect is not only dangerous to health workers but puts patients at risk. This health system is at the brink of collapse,” Dr. Ebong warned.
Among their grievances are unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, underpayment of promoted staff, and the refusal of government to address the welfare of healthcare workers. The association gave the FCT administration one week to initiate genuine reforms, warning of escalation if no action is taken.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isaq Salako, attempted to play down the crisis, stating that discussions with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) were “making progress.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Salako admitted that about 40 per cent of the 2025 residency training allowance remained unpaid but maintained that negotiations were ongoing.
“The National Association of Resident Doctors has issued an ultimatum, but I believe with the level of conversation ongoing… we are making progress,” he said, though he could not guarantee resolution before the strike deadline.
This strike has further crippled public hospitals in Abuja, where decaying infrastructure and severe understaffing have left thousands of patients stranded, with many forced to seek expensive care in private facilities they can barely afford.
