By Our Reporter
Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) began a strike on Wednesday in response to the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to colleagues employed in 2023.
At Kubwa General Hospital, our reporter observed patients being turned away, as doctors halted services in protest.
Insiders revealed that the strike will last for three days as a warning, but may escalate to an indefinite strike if the government does not address the doctors’ demands.
On December 23, 2024, the Association of Resident Doctors in the FCT had given the FCT minister a 14-day ultimatum, which expired on January 6, 2025, urging him to take urgent action.
The association’s president, Dr. George Ebong, outlined several key demands, including the clearance of the 2024 Medical Residency Training Fund, implementation of skipping and issuance of skipping letters to 2023 recruits, immediate payment of 2024 accoutrements allowance, and the settlement of 13 months’ worth of hazard allowance arrears, among others.
Mrs. Ihiaka, who was at the hospital with her daughter in a wheelchair, expressed frustration over the situation, saying she was left with no choice but to seek care at a private hospital, regardless of the cost. She urged the FCT minister to address the doctors’ concerns and place the same level of attention on health and education as he does on infrastructure development.
“If citizens are suffering from negligence in the health sector, then the fundamental purpose of governance has been undermined,” she stated.
Dr. Babagana Adam, Permanent Secretary of the Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES) in the FCT, declined to comment on the situation.