About 600 doctors in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) have urged Nigerians to prevail on the hospital management and the Federal Ministries of Health and Finance to pay their two months outstanding salaries and this month’s pay.
The doctors, under the aegis of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-LUTH), spoke yesterday in Lagos.
They said they and their dependants were facing untold hardship due to non-payment of their salaries.
The medics said the salaries of over 600 doctors had been withheld since August while other workers had been paid up to date.
They said this had led to the crisis in the hospital.
The doctors said they would have gone on strike but considered what would happen to the patients.
LUTH’s MDCAN Chairman Dr Babatunde Bamigboye said the frequency of industrial actions among doctors in the hospital had reduced due to the conscious effort of the association the body of doctors, being mindful of the collateral damages that come with such action.
He said while the medical body sought explanation for the discriminatory payment, the management of LUTH as an hospital, the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal ministry of Finance officials gave conflicting reports, adding that there have been no official step taken so far to ensure that this problem is attended to.
“What then is expected of a young House officer who by the end of this month will be owed three months salaries, the Resident Doctors whose families rely upon for their welfare and who also has his examinations to finance? Or are the Consultants expected to carry on as if all is well when they are fully aware that all other workers in the hospitals including the officers of the hospital management have all been paid while they are left to the blame-trading acts of the government officials?,” he lamented.
Also expressing displeasure, the President, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH, Dr Olawale Oba said an emergency general meeting has been held by members of the chapter, in which the resolution is to follow the steps of agitation through whatever means possible, adding that the association has issued a 14 day-ultimatum to the management starting from today, in which failure to adhere to their compliant would result to indefinite strike action.
Also, the Leader of the Southwest National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Akinkunmi Afolabi said the national body is fully involved in the issue and would give the doctors full supporting any action decided on, in order to get the management to attend to their plights.
He said, though, the next action is to embark on industrial action, the association would forestall whatever would lead to it, since the patients would suffer the consequence of any strike. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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