Abuja doctors declare three-day strike, shut hospitals

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA) has begun a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands.

The strike has grounded activities in government hospitals in Abuja.

Dr George Ebong, President of ARD FCTA, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Ebong, the strike came after a three-week ultimatum issued last year by the doctors had elapsed.

Ebong, on behalf of ARD, decried the neglect of hospitals and doctors’ welfare in the nation’s capital.

He stressed that doctors in Abuja have become abandoned projects, calling on Nyesom Wike, Minister of FCT, to intervene to avoid an indefinite shutdown of hospitals.

He stated that the decision to embark on the three-day warning strike is a fallout from a Congress held by its members 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 all other 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 six 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, ARD FCTA warned of an imminent shutdown over failure to meet its demands.