Patients and some others who came to access medical care in the
University of Uyo Teaching hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State were left
stranded following the ongoing strike by resident doctors in Nigeria.
Recall that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had
on Thursday, April 1, 2021, embarked on an indefinite strike due to the
failure of the Federal Government to meet their demands.
In a communiqué issued at the end of NARD’s congress endorsed by its
President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, the union directed members to down
tools until their demands which bordered on payment of all salaries owed
house officers including March salaries, the general welfare of
workers, removal of the President of Medical and Dental Council of
Nigeria, MDCN, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi amongst others were met.
When our correspondent visited the Federal Medical facility in Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State(UUTH) to ascertain the level of compliance at the
hospital, she found the premises almost deserted as only a few workers,
particularly the administrative officers were available to attend to
patients.
Patients interviewed expressed dissatisfaction over the situation as
so many of them especially those who brought their sick ones to the
hospital for the first time could not consult any doctor.
One Mrs Itoro Sunday told our correspondent that she brought her sick
baby who had been vomiting and stooling all night for medical attention
to the hospital but was frustrated to learn of the doctors’ strike.
According to her, “I came here(UUTH) this morning because my baby was
running temperature and has been vomiting and stooling since last
night. The lady at the counter did not sell a hospital card to me, she
said that doctors are on strike that I should go. I’m just stranded
because the money my husband gave me will not be enough to take her to a
private clinic.”
Another person seen roaming helplessly around the corridor of the OPD
said, “I don’t know why this doctors’/government wahala would come up
now that I brought my mother to the hospital. Dem no gree sell card for
me o. Dem say doctors dey strike, to go private hospital now no be small
thing for me.”
When our correspondent visited the emergency ward which also houses
the administrative section where cards are sold to first time patients,
she found some exhausted sick patients sleeping on benches across the
walkways and corridors.
Other sections, such as the Ear, Nose and Throat department were locked and no one was in sight to respond to inquiries.
Three different families who brought their wards to the dental clinic were seen leaving in disappointment.
However, the Chief Medical Director of UUTH, Prof EmemAbasi Bassey
while responding to our reporter claimed he had reached an agreement
with resident doctors to run emergency services, even though they were
still on strike.
He added that though ’emergency’ has categories they would try their
best to ensure that life-threatening cases are attended to immediately.
Prof. Bassey said the hospital usually looks deserted on weekends
especially during public holidays denouncing the insinuation that no
medical officer was seen because of strict adherence to the strike
action.
Expressing hope that the strike would soon be called off, Prof.
Bassey urged the resident doctors to also compromise a little while
negotiations are ongoing with the government, noting that some of the
demands therein may not be reached in a short term.
According to him, “on our own, we are still keeping emergency
services running, that is the arrangement I reached with the resident
doctors. Consultants are still working, though they still need
assistance from other officers because they cannot work alone.
“You know that once you start a strike, it might take a little time
to be called off especially when it falls on a weekend and public
holiday as well. One thing with NARD is that their strikes start with a
congress and they need to have another congress to call it off.
“On the demands made by NARD, I saw a whole lot of them and don’t
know how realistic some of them are in a short term. For me, I will
plead that the doctors also shift grounds a little while negotiation
continues. It is not possible to meet all demands at the same time and
government on its own should implement some of its promises.”
