The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT) has suspended its indefinite strike, following the intervention of the Senate.
Gatekeepers News reports that confirming the development on Friday, ARD-FCT President, Dr. George Ebong, said members will return to work on Monday.
“The Senate, FCT area council, intervened yesterday and said we should give them time to act on our demands,” Ebong told TheCable.
“Out of respect that we have for the minister of health and the senate, we decided to suspend our strike action. However, we did not call off the strike. We only suspended it. It is not an indefinite suspension. They will have to act on our demands in the earliest time possible after which we will meet and decide the next line of action.”
The association had begun its strike on Monday, citing unpaid salary arrears, poor welfare conditions, and decaying health facilities in Abuja.
Among their demands are:
• immediate payment of outstanding salary arrears for doctors employed since 2023,
• time-bound recruitment of new doctors before the end of 2025,
• payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF),
• stoppage of erroneous salary deductions,
• conversion of post-part II fellows to consultants within six months of qualifying,
• release of promotion timelines, and full payment of promotion arrears within one month.
On Thursday, the Senate Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters appealed to the doctors to suspend their strike, promising to engage with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to resolve the issues.
