FCT doctors overworked… some relying on antidepressants, says ARD

The Association of Resident Doctors, federal capital
territory (ARD-FCT), has urged the government to urgently address rising
challenges in the city’s health sector.

Speaking after the association’s 3rd quarter ordinary
general meeting on Thursday, George Ebong, the association’s president in FCT,
described the territory’s health system as a long-standing systemic failure
requiring comprehensive and immediate reform.

Ebong called for urgent intervention in areas like manpower
shortages, non-functional equipment, poor working conditions, and unpaid staff
allowances. He warned that continued neglect could cause systemic collapse.

“Our hospitals are not even 20th century compliant. X-ray
machines have been non-functional for years,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“Dialysis patients are turned away due to consumable
shortages. Even the few working machines frequently break down.”

He said doctors in the FCT were under immense pressure,
frequently covering multiple departments.

“This mental and physical overload has led some colleagues
to rely on antidepressants just to stay functional,” he said.

Ebong advised the FCT administration to prioritise
healthcare workforce development, noting that since the last major recruitment
in 2011, many doctors had left due to retirement, death, or emigration without
replacement.

“In some hospitals, one doctor handles up to 60 patients
overnight. This situation is neither safe for the patients nor sustainable for
the healthcare workers responsible for their care,” he added.

The association also raised concerns over unpaid salaries,
delayed promotions, and underpayment of promoted staff, urging the government
to act swiftly to boost healthcare worker morale and restore service
efficiency.

He noted that funds were often spent on less critical
projects, while urgent needs like supplies and staffing were overlooked.

“We cannot give our best while working under these
conditions. Doctors are human too. Our ability to care for others depends on
the system supporting us in return,” he said.

To underscore the urgency, the association gave the FCT
administration a one-week deadline to begin meaningful reforms, especially on
staffing and welfare, threatening a one-week warning strike if unmet.

Responding at the meeting, Adedolapo Fasawe, mandate
secretary for health services and environment secretariat, assured that the FCT
minister’s administration is committed to strengthening healthcare delivery
across the capital.

She said appointment letters for 60 house officers, 70
pharmacists, and 60 laboratory scientists would soon be issued.

“Outstanding allowances are also being processed alongside
efforts to improve health insurance and drug supply,” she said.

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Source: NigerianEye | Read Full Story…