The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured that concrete steps are being taken to resolve the issue of unpaid salaries owed to resident doctors, with the goal of reaching a resolution before the end of their ongoing three-day warning strike.
Members of the Association of Resident Doctors in the FCT began the industrial action on Monday following prolonged delays in salary payments. The strike comes after months of unresolved grievances over withheld wages.
Addressing the situation during the official handover of eight utility vehicles donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to the FCTA, Mandate Secretary for the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dolapo Fasawe, expressed the administration’s commitment to resolving the issue swiftly.
“We are working round the clock to ensure the doctors receive their due salaries before the end of the three-day ultimatum,” Fasawe said. “We understand their frustration, and we are in active discussions with all relevant authorities to bring this matter to a close as soon as possible.”
She commended the doctors for continuing to provide emergency services during the strike, describing it as a reflection of their professionalism and dedication. “Even as they exercise their right to protest, our doctors are still attending to emergencies. This shows a commendable sense of duty,” she noted.
The WHO vehicle donation, which took place during the strike, aims to strengthen the territory’s emergency response capabilities by improving mobility and facilitating rapid deployment of health teams. The timing of the donation further underscored the urgent need for robust and functional healthcare infrastructure in the FCT.
The doctors had issued a formal notice on Sunday, warning of their intention to strike over unpaid wages, prompting widespread concern about the potential impact on healthcare delivery in the nation’s capital.
