Ondo: Resident Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid 6month Salaries

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Members of the National Association of the Resident Doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Ondo, have commenced an indefinite strike over the non payment 6 months salaries of its members.

The Chairman, Media Committee of the Resident Doctors, University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Akure, Dr. Taiwo Olagbe, who said this while speaking with journalists in Akure on Friday stated that the strike commenced on Friday midnight, 10th January, 2020 and its an indefinite strike till their agitation are resolved.

Dr. Olagbe said, “The poor state of welfare most especially payment of salaries have reached a crescendo of a devious innuendo and pismire state, that it is imperative for the world most especially a responsible government must know our plights and as a matter of urgency empathize with us, it is not esoteric that the present crops of medical doctors have being painstakingly and assiduously working with an unbridled nostalgia, ensuring this institution attain great feat.

“It is pathetic that the management/government have not deemed it fit to juxtapose this teaching hospital complex, but rather have reduced us to a state of catastrophic insolvency.

“As we talk now, many of us cannot afford two square meal, some have withdrawn their wards from school, some have to trek long distances to get to work because they could not afford transport fare, their only consolation and solace is the call food which have become their routine dinner, while some have been ejected from their accommodation”.

According to him, people would continue to witness annual mass exodus of medics out of this country if this tragedy and malady of poor welfares are unchecked.

Dr. Olagbe maintained that in 5 years to come Nigeria may not find specialist to treat them stressing that to become a specialist in Nigeria today is not only tedious but its financially demanding from point of passing primaries till passing a fellowship exam of Postgraduate Medical college which it won’t cost nothing less than one million naira payment for all the exams.

It would be recalled that on 23 December, 2019, members of the resident doctors protested to the Governor’s office, Alagbaka in tandem with other allied health workers where they were addressed and promised by the SSG, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde that their demands and plights would relay to Governor.

Dr. Olagbe said upon the protest and promises made by the SSG to do something about it, nothing has been done saying that their strike was no going back until their salary were paid.

The body, however, said that all their areas and backlog of salaries be cleared with immediate effect.

“The issue of our welfare should be addressed and concerted action taking. That our wages and remuneration be paid directly into our accounts, we don’t want intermediary. That we are against any form of victimization during and after the strike, if any of such happen we will not hesitate to call out members.

“We want to appeal to the conscience of Mr. Governor and all meaningful Nigerians that this is trying period for us and that all our salaries be paid”, they said.

In his reaction, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro said the government is currently working on how to pay their outstanding salaries latest next week Monday.