The president of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr. George Ebong, announced the start of a three-day warning strike during a press conference on Wednesday.
He called Wuse General Hospital “an abandoned facility” and said it was a symbol of the neglect affecting healthcare facilities in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), which has expressed concern over the subpar working conditions and deteriorating infrastructure in hospitals throughout the nation’s capital.
Mr Ebong explained that the strike followed the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum, as well as an additional two-week extension granted to the FCTA management to address the association’s demands.
“The emergency general congress of ARD-FCTA convened on Tuesday, January 21, to discuss the various resolutions contained in the 21-day ultimatum paper.
“The congress deemed it fit to commence a warning strike after the refusal of the FCTA management to respond to the association’s demands”.
He voiced the association’s dissatisfaction with a number of outstanding concerns, such as the failure to pay members who were hired in 2023 salary arrears ranging from one to six months.
“The congress noted with dismay the non-payment of salary arrears ranging from one to six months owed to members employed in 2023.
“Despite extensive engagements with management on the issue, it had failed to listen, and the issue had brought untold hardship to members of the association, and this had continued”.
He stated that the congress was deeply dissatisfied with the non-payment of the 25% upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears from July 2023 to April 2024 for members employed in 2023. He noted that this benefit had already been implemented for other healthcare workers.
According to Mr. Ebong, the congress also highlighted delays in disbursing the 2024 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).
“The congress is astonished that despite repeated assurances from management, the 2024 MRTF remains unpaid, even though approval was reportedly granted for 52 resident doctors out of the 75 eligible ones,” he said.
The association expressed concern over the distress caused by this delay, noting that many members had taken loans to cover the costs of exams, update courses, and other professional expenses.
Other grievances raised included the non-payment of the 2024 accoutrement allowance, which was expected to be disbursed in October 2024.
“The congress also expressed profound dismay at the prolonged bonding period for resident doctors, which requires our members to serve six years after completing their residency training,” he added.
Mr. Ebong further criticized the lack of progress in implementing the skipping policy for members employed in 2023 and raised concerns about the unpaid 13 months of hazard allowance arrears.
“The congress expressed its displeasure over the unpaid hazard allowance arrears and the lack of meaningful progress on this issue,” he stated.
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Additionally, the association pointed out delays in advancing members who had passed their part two fellowship exams to the consultant cadre and the slow recruitment of healthcare workers into residency programs.
In its demands, the Association of Resident Doctors, FCTA (ARD-FCTA), called for the immediate payment of salary arrears, CONMESS arrears, the 2024 MRTF, and the accoutrement allowance.
It also urged the FCTA management to reduce the bonding period for resident doctors to two years, implement the skipping policy, and address the outstanding hazard allowance arrears.
Mr Ebong urged the management to expedite the employment of healthcare workers and advance post-part two members to the consultant cadre.
Mr. Ebong warned that failure to address these pressing issues would exacerbate the challenges facing healthcare delivery in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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