The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT) on Monday declared an indefinite strike following the expiration of its earlier seven-day warning strike.
The decision was announced in a communique signed by the President, Dr George Ebong, and the General Secretary, Dr Agbor Affiong, after negotiations with the FCTA failed to resolve long-standing issues.
According to the communique, members were left with no option but to down tools indefinitely after months of unfulfilled promises.
Unresolved grievances
The doctors said their demands included improved working conditions, payment of outstanding allowances, provision of medical consumables, and urgent recruitment of personnel to address shortages across FCT hospitals.
They lamented that despite repeated engagements with the FCTA, their concerns had been met with delays and excuses. The strike, they said, was necessary to press home their demands and compel the administration to act.
“The welfare of our members and the quality of healthcare delivery in the FCT have been compromised for too long. We cannot continue under such conditions,” the communique partly read.
Impact on healthcare services
The indefinite strike is expected to affect patients in public hospitals within the territory, where resident doctors make up a significant portion of the workforce.
The association, however, appealed to residents for understanding, stressing that the industrial action was aimed at securing better healthcare delivery for the public in the long run.
It also urged the FCTA to take immediate steps to address the issues and bring the strike to a swift end.