Disgruntled medical practitioners have issued a bold challenge to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urging them to seek treatment at public hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to experience firsthand the dire state of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
While acknowledging Wike’s strides in infrastructure development, particularly road projects, the doctors lambasted his neglect of the nation’s health institutions, labeling the facilities as dilapidated and their personnel as forgotten casualties of governance.
“If we genuinely aim to rejuvenate this country’s healthcare system, then every government official should use public hospitals. Let’s begin with that,” declared George Ebong, president of the FCT resident doctors, during a televised discussion on Wednesday.
“I challenge the minister to receive care at Wuse General Hospital, the Senate President to visit Maitama General Hospital, and the Speaker to utilize Iyanya General Hospital. Only then can the rot in the system be addressed. Without such personal stakes, nothing will change. That’s the plain truth,” he asserted.
The doctors commenced a three-day warning strike on Wednesday, triggered by unpaid wages, allowances, and other grievances, following the expiration of a three-week ultimatum. The industrial action paralyzed government hospitals across Abuja, including facilities in Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, and Nyanya.
Ebong accused Wike and other government figures of sidelining the capital’s health sector, leaving critical facilities in shambles. “The minister’s focus has been on road construction and similar projects, while our hospitals languish in disrepair. We feel like abandoned projects ourselves. Roads and bridges are important, but hospitals should be sanctuaries of innovation and healing—they cannot be forsaken,” he emphasized.
He further outlined the grim realities plaguing public hospitals, citing frequent power outages, non-functional diagnostic machines, inadequate drug supplies, and insufficient manpower. “Some hospitals operate with just a single doctor on duty. How can we deliver quality care under such conditions?” he questioned.
The association disclosed that numerous doctors have not received their salaries for over six months, despite tirelessly performing the duties of several staff members. “We met with the minister only once when he assumed office, though we’ve engaged with his subordinates extensively. We’ve also sent countless letters to him, so he’s undoubtedly aware of our plight,” Ebong noted.
He decried systemic inefficiencies that hinder progress and appealed to Wike to ensure prompt payment of wages. “We urge the minister to personally visit these hospitals and witness their deplorable state,” he said.
The doctors warned that if their demands remain unmet after the warning strike, they would have no alternative but to embark on an indefinite strike. “We’ll reassess the situation post-strike, but if no tangible steps are taken, the congress will have no choice but to declare an indefinite shutdown,” Ebong cautioned.
This unfolding standoff underscores the urgent need for a paradigm shift in governance, prioritizing the welfare of healthcare workers and the restoration of crumbling health facilities over infrastructural accolades.
