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Again! Osun Doctors Protest Pay Slash, Poor Health System
For the third time in two months, Doctors in Osun State on Thursday took to the street of the state capital, Osogbo to protest non payment of salary arrears and poor condition of the state health care system.
The Doctors started the protect as early as 7 am in front of the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) and moved to the popular Olaiya junction where they caused traffic gridlock.
In their protest chants, the aggrieved doctors described Governor Rauf Aregbesola as callous and cruel.
While addressing journalists, the president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Osun State branch, Dr, Tokunbo Olajumoke said its unfortunate the State Government could still turn deaf ears to their demands even after all the protest.
Olajumoke further explained that the state government illegally slashed their salaries, described Governor Aregbesola’s action as unfortunate and uncalled for.
He noted that despite the mutilation of their salaries, government was still taxing them based on 100 percent of the salaries.
The NMA President lamented that the doctors could no longer meet their financial obligations despite that they work very hard.
“We have been on this process for the third time in two months now to press home our demand for better welfare on the deplorable state of health system and the hardship being inflicted on the doctors working with Osun.
“Our protest is not only centred on our salaries but state hospitals lack equipment and drugs,” said Olajumoke
“We say no to obnoxious tax regime, we say no to amputated salaries and we want our hospitals to work in the interest of the people, who cannot afford to seek treatment abroad.”
“It is so unfortunate that the doctors left their primary duty of taking care of patients to taking to the street for three months consecutively and and the government is insensitive to our plights. There has been no discussion with the doctors. Instead of discussing, they are busy spreading propaganda on the social media that they have spent 10 billion on health.”
Dr. Tokunbo noted that instead of the government addressing the challenges facing the state, it is rather tailoring the resources of the state towards the Osun West Senatorial By-election.
“They are doing something called O’Surgery because the election is around the corner. They are using that to cajole people so that they can vote for them and then continue unleashing hardship on the people of the state.
“The Health facility is in total shambles, the condition of our hospitals are bad. The best you can get from the hospitals is paracetamol and vitamin C and if you want to see a doctor, you have to buy the record book yourself.
“When you look at the mortality rat in Osun now, it is quite alarming but these things are not been addressed instead we are doing political manoeuvring and free health care services that won’t take us anywhere in Osun.” He stressed.
