These are indeed sad times for
Patients and their family members in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital
(LUTH), Idi-Araba, as the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) on Wednesday
said its members would not return to work after the three days nationwide
warning strike.
The Association of Resident
Doctors (ARD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, on
Wednesday said its members would not return to work after the three days
nationwide warning strike.
Dr Omojowolo
Olubunmi, the President of the LUTH branch of the association, made this known
in an interview with NAN in Lagos.
Olubunmi said
that the local strike would be indefinite since LUTH management had yet to meet
the association’s demands.
He said that
the doctors resolved to continue with the strike in view of some local issues
which the management had yet to resolve.
Olubunmi said
that the association’s meeting with the management on 2 June did not yield any
positive result.
“The
association has learned from the past experience and resolved not to return to
work until the issues we raised locally have been addressed.
“We want
action; we are no longer interested in talking without action.
“What we are
asking for is in the interest of the public.
“Currently,
the system in LUTH is not patients or doctors’ friendly. We are not asking for
better pay.
“We are only
asking for basic equipment, better water supply and good means of communication
to make patients more comfortable and to aid in the education of our doctors,”
he said.
Olubunmi said
that communication, being a necessary tool for the medical procedure was not
made available for LUTH resident doctors.
“Communication
in the hospital is limited, doctors cannot just call the laboratory section and
ask for results, we either go down and get the results or use our personal cell
phones.
“This is time
consuming and can make a difference between life and death for the patients,”
he said.
Olubunmi said
that another issue of contention was the refusal of LUTH management to adopt
the practises they earlier agreed with the association as contained in August,
2013 circular.
According to
him, the circular is in line with the template established by the Federal
Government which allows doctors to be tested three times before being
discharged.
“In spite of
the Federal Government’s template and the 2013 circular, LUTH management just
issued letters to resident doctors to quit their residency before their time
was up.”
He said that
in other countries, resident doctors were expected to train for certain periods
of time and allowed up to six times.
Olubunmi said
that Nigeria would not be able to overcome the shortage of specialists if
residents were not allowed time to train and to retake examinations as obtained
in other countries.
My
Take
Really,
I want to ask, what does the State do with all the monies they receive from the
Federal Government Allocation monthly. Some days ago I posted the top 10 states
that receive allocations from the Federal Government. Yes Lagos State
Government wasn’t on that list but it does receive money from the Federal
Government and generates over ₦1
Billion every month or is it daily from the various taxes in the state.
And
with its claim that most of the major projects are joint financing with private
companies like the Ikoyi-link bridge, the Lekki –Expressway to name a few. So
what is the Government doing with monies that are supposed to be used to buy
phones for a hospital and other necessary appliances? Some government officials
have more than 4 phones, and they are given credit allowance monthly to do
what, when the real people that need these things are overlooked.
This
again is a case of misplaced priority, a syndrome very popular with almost
every level of government in Nigeria. Yes the Lagos State Government is trying but putting priorities
where it matters most, will go a long wait to really meet the needs of the
people.
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