By Ben Adoga
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has promised to give doctors serving in the FCT Administration a fair deal following a circular on eight years of tenure retirement.
Wike said he would deal with medical doctors working in his government with a human face to strengthen medical services in all the hospitals.
He stated this during a meeting with Medical unions in his office at the weekend.
Wike, who was represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, said the recent circular of the eight-year tenure retirement was an issue of concern.
He added that the administration was studying the matter carefully.
“We have a guideline that exempted the medical doctors from the circular so we need to have a backup document to speak on the matter.
“I will have to meet with the heads of departments, stakeholders, and other sectors concerning recalling the letter, and I assure you that we will do our best and come out with something good,” she said.
According to the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, Dr Ugwuanyi Charles, the union pleaded with the Honourable Minister to look into the letter.
SERAP sues Tinubu over ‘unlawful ban of 25 journalists from covering Presidential Villa’
“The removal of some of the hospital consultants will affect the ones available and cause a great burnout in our hospitals,” he said.
Also, the Chairman Medical and Dental Council Association of Nigeria (MD-CAN) FCTA chapter, Dr Musa Emmanuel stated that the rules were not followed accordingly and that the retirement was done by people who did not know the rules or chose to ignore them.
“The FCTA, Medical Health Care services are accessible and affordable to everyone, but the retirement will affect the sector greatly, the letter is worrisome,” he added.
The president of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) FCTA, Dr Rahmon Olayinka Sodiq, said people from Nasarawa, Kogi, and other states come to FCT to access medical care because they believe in the FCT medical care.
He, however, wondered about the consultants that would remain if the policy was implemented.
“We hope that the letter will be reverted,” he said.
