Resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have commenced an indefinite strike effective Monday, September 15.
The action follows a week-long warning strike that failed to bring meaningful responses from the government.
The Association of Resident Doctors, FCT Administration (ARD-FCT), announced this after an emergency general meeting on Sunday.
The doctors say they will not return to work until the government and hospital management show real commitment to their welfare and the health needs of FCT residents.
Their grievances include unpaid entitlements and salaries, poor welfare and working conditions, acute manpower shortages, and unexplained salary deductions.
ARD-FCT further claims that there has been no recruitment into FCT hospitals since 2011, exacerbating the pressure on existing medical staff.
In many hospitals across the FCT, doctors report being left to attend to dozens of patients and perform high-risk duties alone, including multiple caesarean sections in a shift without sufficient backup.
