FCT health workers resume emergency service after protest

The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory have resumed emergency services following an appeal made to protesting members by the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu.
The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Austine Elemue, in a statement on Thursday said the President of the association in FCT, Dr. Roland Aigbovo, made the disclosure while briefing the FCT Minister of State.
It will be recalled that members of the association had embarked on an industrial action to protest the mob attack on a female medical doctor at the Maitama District Hospital, Abuja.
Relatives of a patient who passed on while under the care of the hospital had attacked the doctor.
Aigbovo said the association had decided to resume emergency services in all public hospitals across the territory as a demonstration of commitment to duty and mark of respect to FCT Administration.
He assured the minister that full clinical services would resume after the outcome of congress slated for Friday, while thanking the minister for her prompt response to the cry of members.
Responding, Aliyu thanked the resident doctors for their understanding and appealed to members to call off the strike in the interest of patients.
She assured that the administration would take proactive steps in securing hospital premises by installing Close-Circuit Television to monitor activities of criminals and those who want to perpetrate crime against health workers.
The minister also assured that the administration would henceforth beef up the numbers of para-military personnel in the hospitals to provide security to both health workers and patients.
She said: “We will not allow our health workers to be assaulted by anybody again in the territory.
“As an interim measure, we will increase the numbers of Civil Defence personnel deployed to our public health institutions and on the long run, CCTV will be installed to fish out perpetrators of those assaulting our health workers.
“Nevertheless, I thank you on behalf of the Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, for showing understanding and dedication to duty.
“Let me assure you that the administration will not disappoint you in the discharge of your duties.”