Resident doctors in Abuja have launched an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries and poor conditions.
They accuse authorities of ignoring their demands after a failed warning strike earlier this month.
Resident doctors working under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) have begun an indefinite strike following the refusal of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to address their grievances.
The strike started on Monday, September 15, 2025, after the doctors’ congress held an emergency meeting on Sunday to review the situation. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, ARD-FCTA President Dr. George Ebong said the action was not a personal attack on the minister but a protest over what he called a “failed health system” in the nation’s capital.
He noted that the government had ignored both financial and non-financial demands raised for months, adding, “Until they listen, we will go on strike starting this morning.”
According to the doctors, their decision follows a seven-day warning strike that ended without progress. The association listed unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, lack of equipment, unexplained deductions, and the non-recruitment of new doctors as key issues undermining healthcare delivery in the FCT.
The group highlighted 12 major complaints, including unpaid salary arrears since 2023, unpaid Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, delayed promotions, unpaid hazard allowances, non-payment of wage award arrears, and poor working conditions across FCT hospitals. They also criticized the absence of X-ray facilities and other basic tools in many facilities.
In its communiqué, the association demanded immediate payment of all outstanding arrears, recruitment of new doctors before the end of 2025, correction of salary deductions, clear timelines for promotions and conversion to consultant status, as well as urgent renovation and equipping of FCT hospitals to meet acceptable standards.
The association stressed that the strike would continue until all demands are addressed, urging the government to act quickly to protect both patients and healthcare workers.
