The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory, ARD-FCT, has appealed to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to direct immediate implementation of their pending demands.
The President of ARD-FCTA, Dr. George Ebong, made this appeal on Monday during a press briefing to herald the association’s health week and 30th anniversary.
Ebong expressed appreciation to the FCT minister, whom he said had approved several of their demands.
He stressed that many of the approvals were yet to be implemented, noting that the government need not wait for a strike before paying attention to the health sector.
“We are thankful for the approvals, but issues like the lingering unemployment of doctors and other health workers remain unresolved,” he said. “This gap has affected service delivery, and we believe the minister is looking into it.”
Specifically, he called for the immediate payment of the hazard allowance.
“This allowance has been pending for a long time. We have been patient, and we believe the minister has the goodwill to ensure it is implemented,” he added.
According to him, other outstanding issues highlighted include the wage award and the upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.
Ebong appealed to the FCT minister to attend the scientific conference in person, saying his presence would boost the morale of resident doctors in the territory.
“As a formidable professional body, having him attend will speak volumes. We want him to be there, not just to send representatives,” he said.
Similarly, Chairman of the Health Week Planning Committee, Dr. Godwin Ekunke, said the event was designed not only to celebrate milestones but also to highlight challenges affecting healthcare delivery within the FCT.
DAILY POST reports that Abuja doctors have embarked on several strike actions in the past months, which paralyzed the health sector in the nation’s capital.