The Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has appealed to striking resident doctors in the FCT to suspend their ongoing industrial action.
Led by Chairman Senator David Jimkuta, the committee promised to directly engage with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to address the doctors’ grievances.
During an emergency meeting held on Thursday with leaders of the FCT chapter of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the committee, led by its Chairman, Senator David Jimkuta (Taraba South), acknowledged the legitimacy of the doctors’ concerns and promised immediate engagement with relevant authorities.
Senator Jimkuta said: “We are pleading with you, return to work and give us the opportunity to mediate.
”I will personally take up this matter with the Minister tomorrow. Our people are suffering; we must act swiftly.”
The committee is pleading with the doctors to return to work and give them the opportunity to mediate.
The Senate Committee proposed a joint session with the FCT health administration to facilitate dialogue and reach a resolution.
The committee requested that the doctors furnish them with detailed statistics, including the number of affected personnel and monetary values of unpaid allowances, to enable lawmakers to present a stronger case to the executive.
The lawmaker stressed that the ongoing strike was taking a severe toll on patients, many of whom rely solely on public healthcare facilities in the capital.
He further commended the doctors for their patriotism in remaining in the country despite the worsening conditions and acknowledged that their demands are not selfish but aimed at strengthening the nation’s crumbling health system.
The Senate Committee also requested that the doctors furnish them with detailed statistics, including the number of affected personnel and monetary values of unpaid allowances, to enable lawmakers to present a stronger case to the executive.
As a next step, lawmakers proposed a joint session with the FCT health administration to facilitate dialogue and reach a resolution.
NARD FCT had declared an indefinite strike last week, citing long-standing welfare and infrastructure issues. Top among their demands are:
The doctors, led by the National President, Dr. Zenith Osundara, told the senators that the government’s failure to meet previous commitments made after earlier strike actions has left them with no choice.
Osundara argued that hospitals across the FCT remain under-equipped, putting patients at risk and increasing the burden on medical personnel.
According to NARD, earlier suspensions of strikes were made in good faith to allow negotiations, but little progress has been made. The situation has exacerbated frustration among health workers and contributed to the continued brain drain in the medical sector.
Several senators took turns to sympathise with the striking doctors, describing their demands as reflective of the dire realities within Nigeria’s healthcare system.
