Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, threatening a “deadliest shutdown” of hospitals if their demands are not met.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), Dr George Ebong, commended Wike’s infrastructural efforts but urged him to prioritise the welfare of doctors.
He warned that economic hardship is pushing healthcare professionals to the brink of extinction.
“Firstly, we have to appreciate the minister for his infrastructural development in the FCT since his emergence. We want him to know that Doctors is an abandoned project.
While he fixes the infrastructural abandoned projects, we are the human abandoned projects. We believe the minister can deal with the challenge,” Dr Ebong said.
The association outlined several demands, including clearing six months’ salary arrears for members employed in 2023, urgent payment of the 2024 Medical Residency Training Fund, and a review of the bonding policy from six years to two years.
“Other demands are we want the minister to enforce the implementation of skipping and issuance of skipping letters to our members employed in 2023, immediate payment of accoutrements allowance for 2024, payment of outgoing 13 months hazard allowance arrears, and the FCTA management should fast-track conversion of ARD FCTA Post 2 members to consultants and expedite the process of employment of health care workers to buffer the manpower shortage in the Nation’s capital hospitals,” Dr Ebong added.
He emphasised the urgency of these demands, warning that failure to address them could lead to a collapse of the nation’s health sector.
“This injustice is alien to FCT; if this is allowed to continue, the nation’s health sector will collapse. We want the minister to solve the problems so doctors can practice to the best of their ability.”
Dr Ebong reminded the minister that a 21-day ultimatum issued earlier at the association’s Annual General Meeting had already elapsed by seven days, leaving 14 days to act.
“We don’t want the deadliest shutdown that may lead to loss of lives; it is important that the minister listen and act on demand without delays,” he concluded.
