Ondo doctors begin 14-day warning strike

Residents doctors under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Ondo state-owned hospital, of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, on Tuesday embarked on a 14-day warning strike action over non-payment of seven months’ salaries to the association’s new members.

The striking members of ARD who staged a peaceful protest at the hospital in Akure to press home their demands, vowed not to resume at their duty posts until the state government attended to their demands.

Armed with placards of various inscriptions, they alleged the state government of not sensitive to the plight of the resident doctors and vowed to ground activities at the hospital if their demands were not met.

President of the UNIMEDTH ARD, Dr John Matthew, who spoke to journalists, said members of the association who joined the state hospital have not been paid for the past seven months.

Mathew who said apart from the salaries, the state government has failed to pay the palliative to House officers since February, and non-payment of the February hazard allowance despite all the promises by the state government.

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He stated that the state government promised to pay two months out of the seven months, noting a dearth of staff due to the resignation of doctors from the institution.

He said they had only 26 members of ARD in the hospital against 150 members a few months ago and said “We demand full payment of the arrears of salaries owed to 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 due to japa syndrome.”