Patients appeal to FG as doctors’ strike bites
As the indefinite strike embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), entered its fourth day today, patients have appealed to the Federal Government to intervene and accede to the doctors’ demands.
Patients seeking treatment in some of the federal government-owned hospitals in Lagos State, such as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi and the Federal Medical Centre(FMC), Ebute Meta, said medical activities have not been the same at these hospitals since the strike began four days.
A visit to these hospitals by The Daily Times showed that the resident doctors have completely withdrawn their services in compliance with the indefinite nationwide strike declared by the national leadership of the association.
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.
Some of the patients argued that though the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had directed heads of federal government hospitals to ensure that all other medical doctors in the other strata were available to fill the vacuum, the consultants and other medical workers cannot offer adequate care without the support of the resident doctors.
According to them, the skeletal services and palliative measures put in place by these hospitals have proved inadequate and unable to address their needs.
A diabetic patient at LUTH who identified herself as Mrs Adekanbi, told our correspondent that the consultant that attended to her did not give her enough time because he had many patients to attend to.
“I was lucky to have been attended to because the few doctors available cannot attend to many of the patients here. Some of the patients have even gone home as it was obvious they would not be attended to, and many of them are in critical conditions”, she said.
At the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, patients were seen waiting helplessly for doctors’ attention even as the nurses and other health workers were working.
Findings by The Daily Times revealed that critical cases that needed doctors’ attention were not being attended to, while some of the patients and their relatives appealed to the federal government to urgently address the problem for their sake.
Meanwhile, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), LUTH, Dr. Olufemi Fasanmade, has assured that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure continuity of services.
“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,” he said.
President of NARD, Dr. John Onyebuze, had maintained that the doctors’ services would remain withdrawn until their demands, which include immediate enrolment under the integrated payroll and personal information system and payment of all salary shortfalls were met.
This is even as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCAN) on Tuesday described the ongoing strike as illegal.
In a statement signed by its Acting Registrar/Chief Executive, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, the council warned that, “Embarking on strike by interns will lead to repeating of the posting(s) afresh without remuneration. Interns are therefore advised to avoid participation in activities like industrial actions that could lead to interruption in their postings”, the statement said.
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