Strike: We are dying from snake bites – FCT doctors lament state of public hospitals

The Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, says public hospitals in the nation’s capital have been overtaken by snakes and other reptiles.

The president of ARD FCT, George Ebong, made the claim while addressing journalists on Monday.

According to him, doctors in Abuja are dying from snake bites. ARD FCT declared a seven-day warning strike over poor working conditions, remuneration and other demands.

Ebong said that the shutdown would remain until the FCTA met its demands.

He revealed that doctors are mentally sick over poor working conditions.

“This is all and one shutdown for seven days. All of our demands must be met before we will resume work.

“We have been believing them for the past years with nothing done.

“Our hospitals were affected by snakes; some doctors died from snake bites.

“We are becoming harmful to our patients. We can’t keep treating patients when we are mentally sick,” he said.

He described the current state of Abuja hospital as deplorable and embarrassing, saying doctors work without the most basic equipment or consumables.

A communique issued by the association after a meeting on 5th September, 2025, highlighted twelve resolutions.

The communique read: “Arising from this meeting, after rigors deliberation, and taking into consideration the fact that management is unwilling to acknowledge the emergency in the FCT health sector, Congress unanimously resolved as follows:

“Congress unanimously agreed to embark on a one-week warning strike starting from 8:00 am, Monday 8th September 2025, to 8:00 am, Monday 15th September 2025. At the end of this warning strike, Congress shall reconvene to reassess the commitments and progress made by FCTA.

“Immediate payment of salary arrears owed to all members employed in 2023 without further delay.

“Immediate and urgent recruitment of new doctors must commence without delay, with a firm, documented assurance that the process will be fully concluded before the end of this year. The bulk of these appointments should prioritise medical officers, who form the backbone and foot soldiers of the health workforce. This is not a routine request, but an emergency current manpower crisis has already exceeded manageable limits and now poses grave, potentially catastrophic risks to both patients and doctors.

“Immediate payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to all members. Most members have already completed or are concluding exams this year, and any further delay will not be entertained.

“Erroneous Deductions and Irregular Salary Payments. The Congress demands that management, as a matter of utmost urgency, address the continuous erroneous deductions from members’ salaries and immediately rectify the irregular and epileptic pattern of salary payments.

“Immediate release of documented timelines for the completion of skipping and conversion for all members. This process must be concluded within one (1) month.

“Immediate signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) mandating: Skipping of members within three (3) months of employment. The conversion of post-Part II Fellows to the Consultant cadre not later than six (6) months after. These standards are already obtainable in other centres and must be enforced in FCTA.

“Immediate release of timelines for promotion exercises, with full payment of arrears. This process must also be concluded within one (1) month.

“Immediate payment of the wage award arrears to our members. Most federal and state colleagues have been paid, and FCTA doctors cannot continue to be sidelined.

“Immediate payment of arrears from the 25/35 per cent upward review of CONMESSs, as already implemented and paid in most states and at the federal level.

“Urgent renovation, equipping, and upgrading of FCTA hospitals to world-class standards. The current state of our facilities is deplorable and embarrassing, with doctors left to work without the most basic equipment or consumables.

“Immediate payment of outstanding hazard allowance arrears. The deliberate withholding of this entitlement is unacceptable and appears to be a calculated attempt to undermine and devalue our members.”