Abuja Doctors Call Off Warning Strike After Wike’s Intervention

Following the advice of Nyesome Wike, the FCT Minister, the Association of Resident Doctors in Abuja, has ended its warning strike.

The President of the Association, Dr. George Ebong, in a statement on Friday, said the FCTA under Wike has met their demands.

On Wednesday, the doctors grounded all FCTA-owned hospitals in Abuja over unpaid arrears and other demands.

However, in an update on Friday, Dr Ebong revealed that its members have started receiving alerts of the 6-month salary arrears.

He added that Wike has approved and ordered the payment of the accoutrement allowance and other health workers that were owed, the medical residency bonding to two years, the hiring of immediate medical professionals to make up for the severe labor shortage, and the approval and payment of the owed locum doctors and other health workers.

Therefore, according to Ebong, doctors in the FCT are requested to resume work on Saturday, January 25th, 2025 as a result of Wike’s intervention.

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He added that the intervention had put an end to the looming, indefinite shutdown of Abuja’s hospitals.

Ebong, however, urged the minister to meet other of its demands to avert future strike action.

I, Dr. George Ebong, the Association of the Resident Doctors, express my sincere gratitude to the Honourable Minister Nyesom Wike for meeting our demands, putting an end to our ongoing shutdown, and preventing a looming timeless shutdown in the name of the Association of the Resident Doctors, FCTA.

” The Honourable Minister intervened, approved, and ordered the immediate payment of the following:

The six-month arrears of the salaries owed to doctors and other health workers, the medical residency training funds (2024), the approval of the two-year medical residency bonding, the approval of the immediate hiring of doctors and allied health workers to make up for the severe labor shortage, the approval and immediate payment of the owed locum doctors and other health workers, and the outstanding salaries.

Every resident doctor is expected to resume their duties tomorrow by 8:30 hours thanks to the honorable Minister’s timely intervention.

We also humbly ask the Honourable Minister to establish a system to prevent another anomaly from occurring.

“While we sincerely appreciate the Honourable Minister’s good intentions, we are also optimistic that our other demands will be met in due time, such as the payment of the hazard allowance, the upgrading and rehabilitation of our healthcare facilities, the conversion of post part 2 to the consultant cadre, among others.

We firmly believe that you are the Honourable Minister in your capacity to serve as a reference point for others as the participants in the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Be assured that our ongoing support will help us carry out this agenda.

We look forward to seeing you soon as we eagerly await your arrival at our district hospitals.

Source: Channels TV