Copyright persecondnews
Effective midnight on Saturday, November 1, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) of the FCTA will begin an indefinite strike. The action is a direct response to unresolved welfare and administrative issues concerning the doctors. The ARD-FCTA is an association of doctors practising in the 14 district and general hospitals, including the Department of Public Health under the FCTA. The announcement, contained in a letter dated October 30, and addressed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was signed by the association’s President, Dr. George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong. In the letter made available to newsmen on Friday, October 31, by Dr. Ebong, the association vowed to continue its own indefinite strike action even if the national body suspends or calls off its ongoing strike. It said the action became necessary due to long-standing issues affecting its members, which, it said, have not been resolved despite previous engagements with the authorities. The association said the decision followed an emergency congress meeting held on Wednesday, October 29, during which members unanimously voted to fully join the indefinite strike earlier declared by their national body. Persecondnews had reported that their parent body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), announced on October 26 that it would commence an indefinite strike across the country on November 1. The announcement came after the Federal Government failed to address its demands within a 30-day ultimatum. NARD noted that resident doctors and medical officers across the country continued to endure excessive and unregulated work hours, spanning several consecutive days, which endanger both their health and patient safety. The association also raised concern over the nonpayment of the outstanding 25% and 35% upward review arrears of CONMESS, which should have been settled by the end of August 2025, despite several engagements with the Federal Government. NARD described as unjust the dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, saying the action came amid widespread burnout and the ongoing migration of medical professionals abroad. Other grievances include the non-payment of promotion arrears owed to medical officers in various federal tertiary hospitals and the failure of the government to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance, despite repeated assurances from the Federal Ministry of Health. It also cited bureaucratic delays in upgrading resident doctors’ ranks following successful completion of postgraduate medical examinations. The association said these delays have led to non-payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears. It further decried the exclusion of resident doctors from the specialist allowance, despite their vital role in delivering specialist-level clinical care to patients nationwide. Similarly, NARD faulted the exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme, a policy that has denied them rightful emoluments, professional recognition, and timely payment of salaries. The association also condemned the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS 3 Step 3 to CONMESS 2 Step 2 which has resulted in salary shortages and arrears in several federal hospitals.
