Doctors to begin indefinite strike in Enugu state

The resident Doctors at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, have concluded arrangements to embark on an indefinite strike over shortage of Doctors and insecurity in the state.

Penpushing reports that made this known in a communiqué issued on Monday which was jointly signed by the President of the association, Dr Chukwunonso Ofonere and its Secretary-General, Dr Ikemefuna Nnamani.

The communique declared and explained that the Doctors were also embarking on the strike to protest the alleged poor sponsorship of residency programmes in the state, stressing that they had, during an emergency meeting on December 8, 2023, resolved to embark on the strike if the Enugu State Government failed to meet their demands in January.

Penpushing further reports that the Doctors in the communiqué disclosed that the indefinite strike would begin on January 31, 2024, since the state government had failed to meet their demands after a 14-day ultimatum.

The communique emphasized that the government had still failed to meet the demands after 49 days’ grace, noting that the management of the teaching hospital and the state government had failed to declare a state of emergency on the employment of doctors and safety and security within the hospital.

Penpushing also reports that the association accused the government of reneging on a promise it made over 180 days ago, through the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, to employ resident doctors.

The Doctors on their security and safety, said the security operatives who were positioned at the gate of the hospital were no longer there, and that assault on doctors had increased, and  expressed the fear that their safety and that of other health workers in the hospital could not be guaranteed.

‘The management should declare a state of emergency on the employment of doctors in the hospital. There should be an urgent approval for the recruitment of medical officers, resident doctors and house officers in the hospital’, the association declared.

‘This recruitment should be focused especially at the Accident and Emergency Department, Surgery Department, Internal Medicine Department, Paediatrics Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments,” the communiqué reads.

“Management should ensure implementation of safety policies to protect her workers against physical attacks and kidnap by restoring the daily police and other covert security personnel deployed to the hospital. The 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund has not been paid and exam bodies are closing their adverts’, it added.

Penpushing reports that the communique argued that salary increments had not been looked into at all even as house officers were excluded from the hardship/palliative of N25,000 given by the state government.

‘We are still back to where we were in 2023 or even worse as plans are on the way to increase the rents of those living in the hospital quarters (one-bedroom apartment) by about 375 per cent from N8,000 to N30,000 monthly. This will escalate the already palpable crises and we will be left with no other alternatives but to protect the interest and welfare of our members’, the communique stated.

Penpushing further reports that the Doctors, however, appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to urgently intervene in the matter to avoid hardship and loss of lives that might occur if there is a disruption in the health care delivery in the state.

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