The Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State has initiated a 14-day warning strike due to the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members and other grievances.
During a protest held on the hospital premises, Dr. John Matthew, the President of UNIMEDTH ARD, expressed frustration over the delay in salary payments and highlighted other reasons for the strike. These include the lack of provision of palliatives to house officers since February, non-payment of February hazard allowance despite promises by the state government, and a shortage of staff resulting from doctors’ resignations from the institution.
Dr. Matthew emphasized the urgent need for the full payment of salary arrears, February 2024 palliatives for house officers, and hazard allowance for members. He also called for immediate measures to address the severe clinical manpower shortage in the hospital, attributing the dwindling staff numbers to the “Japa syndrome.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association has urged the state government to tackle the shortage of resident doctors in state-owned hospitals. In a communiqué issued after its meeting, the association highlighted the significant exodus of doctors from the state for better opportunities locally and internationally. It noted that as of the time of the communiqué, there were only 22 resident doctors at UNIMEDTHC compared to the previous figure of 150 resident doctors.