We have not been Paid for Seven Months – Abuja Doctors

The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) have said that doctors in the capital are being owed three to seven months’ worth of salaries.

This issue raises a major alarm as these doctors are frontline health workers risking their lives daily to provide treatment to COVID-19 patients.

The doctors also voiced their concerns over the suspicious deductions from the salaries of old doctors after being registered on Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

These complaints were issued in a communique after a virtual meeting on May 7, 2020 and signed by Dr. Mustapha Ibrahim, the General Secretary of ARDFCTA.

The doctors who planned to embark on a strike decided from May 1st decided to put it on hold for now.

The communique read: “The council noted with dismay the haphazard nature in which the April, 2020 salaries was paid by IPPIS with no prior sensitisation or explanation despite the April 30 deadline for all matters connected therewith be resolved.

 “Most newly employed members were still omitted in the payment of April, 2020 salaries bringing the total months owed them to between three-seven months. There is an established community transmission of COVID 19 in the FCT with four of our members already exposed following the confirmation of two cases at Wuse District Hospital.

“Despite Management’s assertion of provision of adequate PPEs across all the general hospitals, it was noted by council that some of these PPEs are still been hoarded by some units as members do not readily access these apparels when attending to suspected cases.

“Exposed members are subjected to a lot of psychological trauma during this period of self-isolation.”

The acting General Manager, Hospital Services, FCT, Frank Alu, has however, not responded to the issue at hand.