Doctors

By Uzair Adam

The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has called off its warning strike following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

In a statement issued on Friday, the President of the Association, Dr. George Ebong, confirmed that the FCTA, under Wike’s leadership, has addressed their key demands.

The doctors had shut down all FCTA-owned hospitals on Wednesday to protest unpaid salary arrears and other unresolved issues.

However, Dr. Ebong announced that members of the association have started receiving alerts for their six-month salary arrears, prompting the decision to end the strike.

According to the statement, Minister Wike also approved and ordered immediate payment of the accoutrement allowance owed to health workers, reduced the medical residency bonding to two years, and sanctioned the immediate employment of additional doctors and allied health workers to address the acute shortage of manpower.

Furthermore, he approved and facilitated the payment of locum doctors and other health workers who were owed outstanding wages.

The association has directed its members to resume work on Saturday, January 25, 2025, averting an imminent indefinite shutdown of hospitals in the capital.

Dr. Ebong expressed appreciation for the minister’s swift response, which resolved the immediate concerns but urged him to address other outstanding demands to prevent future industrial actions.

“These demands include the payment of hazard allowances, upgrading and rehabilitation of healthcare facilities, and converting post-part 2 doctors to consultant cadre,” Dr. Ebong stated.

He further praised Wike’s commitment to transforming the health sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda and extended an invitation for the minister to visit district hospitals in the near future.

The association also reaffirmed its support for Wike’s efforts to enhance healthcare delivery in the FCT.

By Uzair Adam 

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has initiated a three-day warning strike in protest of unpaid salaries, allowances, and other unresolved issues. 

The Daily Reality leaned that the strike has disrupted services at government hospitals across Abuja.

In a press briefing held on Wednesday in Abuja, Dr. George Ebong, President of ARD FCTA, explained that the strike followed the expiration of a three-week ultimatum issued last year. 

He lamented the neglect of healthcare workers’ welfare and hospitals in the nation’s capital.

Ebong called for urgent intervention from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to prevent an indefinite closure of hospitals in the region. 

He emphasized that the decision to go on strike was reached after a Congress held by ARD FCTA members on Tuesday.

The strike, which covers all government hospitals in Abuja, from Wuse to Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya, and others, follows months of unresolved demands. 

The doctors had earlier engaged in multiple dialogues with the authorities but saw no meaningful action, even after the government requested two additional weeks to address their grievances.

“We gave the government a three-week ultimatum to meet our demands, and after meeting them and discussing several times, nothing was done. Not even the minimum things. We expected the government to pay for the six months of unpaid arrears,” Ebong stated.

He criticized the neglect faced by doctors in Abuja, referring to them as “abandoned projects” and highlighting the urgent need for action to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system.

In December, ARD FCTA had warned of a possible shutdown if their demands were not met, with the current strike representing a call for immediate resolution. 

The association has warned that if their issues remain unaddressed after the three-day strike, they will consider an indefinite strike.

The full communique, also released at the press briefing, detailed the various concerns of the association, including unpaid salaries, delays in the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), unfulfilled accoutrement allowances, unpaid hazard allowances, and the lack of necessary hospital equipment. 

The communiqué also stressed the shortage of manpower in the healthcare sector, with many doctors leaving the country due to poor working conditions and lack of support. 

It concluded with a plea for the government to act swiftly to avoid further deterioration of the healthcare system in Abuja.