Resident doctors declare strike, challenge Wike, Akpabio to use govt hospitals in FCT
Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD FCTA) has commenced a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands.
This is even as they challenged the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to use government hospitals to feel the plight of public health workers and patients.
The strike which has grounded activities in government hospitals in Abuja came after a three-week ultimatum issued last year by the doctors elapsed.
The President of ARD FCTA, Dr George Ebong, disclosed this in a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the decision which is a fallout from its members’ Congress held on Tuesday came because doctors in Abuja have become abandoned projects.
“The three-day strike is being implemented across all government hospitals in Abuja. From Wuse to Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya, and other all of our hospitals in Abuja.
“We gave the government a three-week ultimatum to meet our demands, and after that, we met with them and dialogued on several occasions. They pleaded for two weeks, but after that elapsed, nothing has been done. Not even the minimum thing. We expected them to pay for the 6 months of unpaid arrears to doctors.
“After this three-day strike, we will do an appraisal. If nothing is done, we will go on an indefinite strike.
“We want the Minister of FCT to solve this problem to avert an indefinite shutdown of the hospitals in Abuja,” he said
Challenging Minister Wike and Senate President Akpabio to use public hospitals, Ebong accused government officials of neglecting health facilities and workers’ welfare in Abuja.
“If we are ready to fix the healthcare system in this country, I would think that every government official must use the government hospitals. Let’s start with that.
“I would like to see the minister use Wuse General Hospital. I would like to see the Senate President use Maitama General Hospital. I would like to see the Speaker use Iyanya General Hospital. Then, we can start to fix the system. If they don’t use it, then we can’t fix it. I’m sorry but that’s the truth.” He said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
