The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has begun a seven-day warning strike.

Dr. George Ebong, ARD-FCT President, announced the strike in Abuja, saying it followed resolutions from an emergency general meeting on Friday, September 5. He explained that the decision was prompted by the FCT Administration’s lack of response to persistent issues affecting the association despite extensive dialogue.

The doctors’ concerns include inadequate staffing, the psychological toll of long working hours—which recently contributed to the death of a doctor in Port Harcourt—unpaid salaries, and unexplained deductions. Ebong noted that no new doctors have been employed in the FCT since 2011, describing the health system as a long-standing failure in urgent need of reform.

He said doctors in the FCT face immense pressure, often covering multiple departments, and called on the Federal Government to address challenges in the health sector before neglect leads to systemic collapse.

Other issues highlighted include poor working conditions, particularly in emergency and consulting rooms, and the death of a nurse from a snake bite at Abaji General Hospital.

Ebong added that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has been repeatedly informed of these problems but has allegedly ignored them. He urged the FCT administration to declare a state of emergency across the 14 district and general hospitals, emphasizing that the seven-day strike will continue without interruption.

He warned that if the issues are not addressed within a week, the doctors will escalate to an indefinite strike. Ebong stressed that decision-making must include frontline health professionals and demanded immediate reforms on staffing and welfare.