The Senate Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter, to suspend their ongoing strike.

The committee, led by Senator David Jimkuta, held an emergency meeting with the striking doctors and assured them that their grievances would receive urgent attention.

Senator Jimkuta disclosed that initial contact had already been made with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and promised to take up the matter personally with him.

“We are pleading with you. Continue to save lives. Call off this strike. Give us the opportunity,” Jimkuta said. He described the demands of the doctors as “selfless,” stressing that they were aimed at strengthening the health system rather than serving narrow interests.

According to him, while many doctors had left the country in search of better opportunities, those still in Nigeria were simply asking for fair pay, improved working conditions, and access to basic equipment.

The FCT doctors embarked on an indefinite strike last week over welfare concerns and poor infrastructure in public hospitals. Their demands include payment of outstanding salary arrears from 2023, reinstatement of inexplicably deducted allowances, and the proper upgrading of doctors who completed specialist training but are still being treated as medical officers. They also lamented the lack of essential diagnostic tools such as x-ray machines and echocardiographs in several hospitals.

The association accused the government of failing to honour previous promises, noting that earlier strikes had been suspended in good faith but with little follow-through on commitments.

This, they argued, has fuelled frustration and driven more medical professionals to leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad. Experts estimate that almost 90% of doctors trained in Nigeria now practice outside the country, leaving hospitals grossly understaffed.

During the meeting, members of the committee sympathised with the doctors, admitting that their concerns highlighted the dire state of Nigeria’s health sector.

One senator said, “What they are saying is not new. We see it every day. Their demands are not for themselves; they are for Nigeria. These resident doctors can go anywhere in the world to earn more, but they have chosen to stay and serve us.”

The lawmakers urged the doctors to provide comprehensive statistics on unpaid salaries, withheld allowances, and manpower shortages to help parliament press their case more effectively before the executive. They also called for a joint session involving the FCT health administration and the doctors to enable both sides to table their positions and negotiate in good faith.