The Federal Capital Territory Administration's Association of Resident Doctors has announced that its indefinite strike has been suspended, and its members will resume work on Monday at 8 a.m. Dr. George Ebong, the association's president, told our correspondent on Friday that the Senate's initiatives led to the decision to temporarily end the strike.
However, he emphasized that as of right now, none of the physicians' demands have been fulfilled.
Under the FCTA, the Department of Public Health is one of the 14 district and general hospitals that are members of the ARD-FCTA, an association of physicians.
After months of fruitless discussions with the FCTA, the physicians began a warning strike last Monday to emphasize their demands.
The physicians are requesting that members who have been hired since 2023 pay wage arrears that range from one to six months. Additionally, they want the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund settled, new hires hired right away, and arrears from the 25–35% upward revision of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure paid.
They are also requesting precise deadlines for all members to finish the conversion and skipping procedures, as well as the payment of any accrued arrears. They also urged the FCTA to address the ongoing incorrect deductions from members' wages and to address the inconsistent and unpredictable pattern of salary payments.
Along with stated timetables for promotion procedures with full arrears paid, they also required that post-Part II Fellows be converted to the Consultant cadre within six months of their graduation.
Payment of wage award arrears, world-class hospital refurbishment and equipment, payment of unpaid hazard allowance arrears, and settlement of salary arrears owing to newly hired external residents who are now owed three to four months' pay are among the other requests.
"The strike will be suspended, and work will resume on Monday at 8 a.m.
David Jimkuta, the chair of the Senate Committee on Federal Territory Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, stepped in. They promised to speak with the minister, despite the fact that none of our demands have been fulfilled yet, and the Congress has chosen to accept the Senate's position. We also thank Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, for his contributions.
"If nothing is done, the Congress will take the next line of action," Dr. Ebong said, adding that the Congress will reconvene to reevaluate the interventions within the predetermined timeframe.
