The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has officially called off its warning strike following prompt intervention by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
FCTA Meets Doctors’ Demands
In a statement issued on Friday, January 24, 2025, the association’s president, Dr. George Ebong, confirmed that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the leadership of Minister Wike, had addressed the key demands that led to the strike.
Earlier in the week, doctors in all FCTA-managed hospitals had suspended services, citing unpaid salary arrears, delayed allowances, and critical manpower shortages. However, by Friday, members of the ARD began receiving alerts for their six-month salary arrears, signaling the minister’s swift action.
Breakdown of Resolved Issues
Dr. Ebong highlighted several interventions made by Minister Wike to resolve the crisis:
- Salary Arrears: Immediate disbursement of six months of unpaid salaries for doctors and allied health workers.
- Allowances: Approval and release of the long-overdue accoutrement allowance.
- Medical Residency Training Bonding: Approval of the residency bonding to two years for medical doctors.
- Manpower Recruitment: Immediate recruitment of doctors and allied health workers to address staffing shortages.
- Payment for Locum Workers: Prompt payment of outstanding salaries for locum doctors and other health workers.
Doctors Resume Work
As a result of these interventions, Dr. Ebong announced that all resident doctors in the FCT are expected to return to their duty posts starting Saturday, January 25, 2025. He acknowledged the minister’s role in averting what could have been an indefinite strike, which would have further crippled healthcare delivery in the capital city.
Call for Additional Reforms
Despite the progress, Dr. Ebong urged the FCT Minister to address other unresolved demands, including:
- Payment of hazard allowances.
- Rehabilitation and upgrading of healthcare facilities.
- Conversion of post-part 2 medical practitioners to consultant cadre.
He appealed for mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of such issues, emphasizing the association’s commitment to working with the government to achieve the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.
A Message of Appreciation
Dr. Ebong expressed gratitude on behalf of the ARD, saying,
“We sincerely thank the Honourable Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his timely and decisive intervention. His leadership has restored hope to the health sector in the FCT.”
The association also invited Minister Wike to visit FCT district hospitals to assess their operations firsthand.
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