Resident doctors at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, and the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital on Friday, in compliance with strike called by their national body, boycotted work, leaving hundreds of patients stranded.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that the National Association of Resident Doctors NARD had after expiration of a 10 days’ notice to the FG had Thursday declared a of a five-day nationwide warning strike.
A NAN correspondent who monitored situation at the UCH reports that many patients at the accident and emergency unit of the hospital were denied admission on account that there were no doctors to attend to them.
A security officer, who did not want his name published, said that no patient has been admitted since he resumed duty early on Friday morning.
A patient at the General Out-Patients, GOP, Clinic, Mr Kazeem Ajibade, said that few patients were attended to early in the morning, while others were sent back around 8.00 a.m., the time fixed by the doctors to commence their strike.
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President of the Association of Resident Doctors, UCH, Dr Gboyega Ajibola, said that the strike, which commenced by 8.00 a.m. on Friday, was to draw government’s attention to their demands, which remained unattended to.
Ajibola said that it’s a warning strike to last for five days, as agreed at the last meeting of the National Executive Council of NARD.
He said that the strike would be called off if a minimum demand is met.
“The demands that we have been talking about are about five, which are, the unpaid 2025 medical residency training funds to over 2,000 of our members across the geopolitical zones of the country.
“The salary arrears of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, Review of 2023 and unpaid 2024 equipment allowance,” the ARD president said.
Ajibola also said that members of the association also faced delayed recognition and the non-issuance of the post-graduate certificates.
“We are calling on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to have a roundtable discussion with NARD on this so that the certificate can be recognised.
“Also, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, as we speak, is not issuing the certificate at all,” he lamented.
According to him, resident doctors in Kaduna and Oyo states over some time have been facing challenges of total neglect of the necessary welfare packages that are supposed to be provided by the state governments of the respective states.
“The resident doctors in Kaduna State have been on an industrial action since Aug. 1, and their demand is that they should be paid on the 2024 CONMESS scale like their counterparts in other parts of Nigeria.
“Also, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, resident doctors have also been on an indefinite strike, since August 1 on the demand of implementation of the minimum wage that has been implemented for other workers in Oyo state.
“They have not received the Medical Residency Training Fund at all. They are also claim that they are short-staffed and need more manpower, thereby calling on government to employ more resident doctors.
“We want quick response to these demands so that we can continue to discharge our duties without distractions,” he said.
At the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital doctors on Friday commenced a five-day warning strike as part of a coordinated nationwide effort to advocate for improved conditions in the health sector.
ARD-UITH President, Dr Mariam Shiru, said the action aligned with ongoing efforts by the national body to engage the Federal Government.
She explained that those efforts focused on addressing long-standing issues affecting resident doctors across the country.
She acknowledged the government’s previous engagements, including several meetings and the inauguration of a committee, but noted that progress had been limited.
“Out of seven months of outstanding arrears, two have been settled, although disbursements have been inconsistent across centres.
“This is not about new allowances but long-standing entitlements. While the government has indicated that funds are available, the implementation has been slow,” she said.
Shiru also emphasised the importance of timely action to retain medical professionals in the country and reduce the ongoing brain drain.
According to NARD, many resident doctors are still awaiting payment of their 2025 Medical Residency Traini
NAN
