LUTH resident doctors embark on indefinite strike

 

The Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, has embarked on an indefinite strike action. This followed the expiration of the 21- day ultimatum given to LUTH management to address its demand. The association, in a statement by its President, Dr. Omojowolo Olubunmi, had unanimously agreed to resume their suspended industrial action, Meanwhile this action will slow down activities in the hospital as only Specialist Doctors are available to attend to Patients.

 The doctors are agitating the increase in hospital charges which they said have impacted negatively on the patients.“There is increase in numbers of avoidable deaths and morbidity due to inability of patients to afford these fees.“The worst affected areas are the surgical subspecialties where patients now discharge against medical advice daily to seek for cheaper and dangerous alternatives,” they said.The doctors saw the increase in the prices of minor surgical procedures, including suturing of lacerations, incision and drainage, debridement, chest tube and insertion from N8, 000 to over N50, 000 as unjustly offensive.

Again, the doctors decried the lack of basic facilities and equipments such as shortage of stationery, epileptic water supply, disorganised and dirty environment, inadequate manpower, especially in critical care.They said that this had led to poor service delivery to Nigerians.

Other issues being agitated are the issuance of fresh letters stipulating duration of residency training according to the August 2013 circular to both old and new residents immediately; that the distribution of the letter of skipping be completed immediately; that the employment list of residents from the outstanding departments, namely clinical pathology, microbiology, haematology, morbid anatomy, OMFS, child dental health, preventive dentistry, oral pathology, radiotherapy be released immediately.Also, the number of residents being employed in each department be increased, especially the psychiatry, where only two new residents have been taken.

Source: National Mirror