Activities at some federal government-owned hospitals in Lagos state on Tuesday recorded a low turnout of patients following the industrial action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The resident doctors had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries and welfare packages among others by the federal government.
Reports gathered by our correspondent who visited the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba and National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, show that the strike affected the services at these hospitals as only consultants and other medical staff were seen offering services to patients.
Resident doctors were unavailable to attend to scores of patients who thronged the hospitals. Speaking with The Daily Times in an interview, president, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH chapter, Dr. Adebayo Sekumade, stated that a full compliance of the strike by members of LUTH’s ARD was being enforced in line with NARD’s directive on the strike at the hospital.
Sekumade maintained that their demands were clear and would continue the strike until their demands were met by the federal government.
Apart from the issue of salaries and welfare packages, Sekumade said his association is requesting that the federal government should enroll resident doctors into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) which has been on since 2003.
“The government should also look into the non-implementation of adjusted House Officers’ Entry grade level equivalent since 2014 and the issue of pension,” he added.
Findings by our correspondent showed that the situation was the same at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, even as some patients who were on admission appealed to the doctors to have a better means of resolving their grievances with the government instead of embarking on strike.
They said that the striking doctors should consider the health conditions of the common people. Reacting to the strike on behalf of LUTH’s management, the chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr. Olufemi Fasanmade, told our correspondent that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure continuity of services during this period and that the hospital will remain open to in and out patients.
His words: “Our patients shall continue to receive services from staff and we have medical services in place to ensure no patient suffers.
We are hopeful that ongoing negotiations will be amicable and lead to a speedy resolution.” Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has directed heads of federal government hospitals to ensure that all other medical doctors in the other strata are available to fill the vacuum.
Adewole said Chief Medical Directors of these hospitals should ensure that consultants and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) doctors as well as doctors on internship are on duty to provide health services at the hospitals in order to ensure there is no break in healthcare services.
He assured all Nigerians that the federal government’s health facilities will be open and render services to the people while the government continues to dialogue with the resident doctors to return to work.
“Arrangements are also on to make use of Armed Forces, Police and Federal Road Safety Health Facilities, he said.
Adewole expressed optimism that the problem will be resolved soon as the warring parties are expected to meet again on Wednesday.
NARD president, Dr. Onyebueze John, said he believed that the strike was necessary in a bid to draw the government`s attention to their demands
