The Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo State, has embarked on a 14-day warning strike due to the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to its newly recruited members.
Members of the association staged a protest on the hospital premises, vowing to disrupt the operations of the hospital if their demands remained unmet.
Dr. John Matthew, the President of UNIMEDTH ARD, conveyed their frustration to journalists during the protest. He highlighted the outstanding salaries and other issues plaguing their members, including the failure to provide palliatives to house officers since February, the non-payment of February hazard allowances despite assurances from the state government, and staff shortage due to doctor’s resignation.
“We demand full payment of the arrears of salaries owed our members and payment of February 2024 palliative to our house officers.
“Management should pay February hazard allowance to our members and urgently address the severe clinical manpower shortage in the institution. Our members work every day. There are no staff members due to Japa syndrome,” he said.
The state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, in a statement released by its chairman, Dr. Omosehin Adeyemi-Osowe, has voiced similar concerns, calling on the state government to address the shortage of resident doctors in hospitals owned by the state.
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