Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Admission of patients in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUT-TH), Parklane, would henceforth be reduced by 25 per cent.
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), ESUT-TH, Parklane, said yesterday that the decision to scale-down the admission in the state government-owned hospital by 25 per cent was to ensure adequate medicare.
In a communiqué issue at the end of the association’s emergency general meeting held at the hospital yesterday, the body said that it resolved to reduce the daily admission capacity from the present 100 per cent to 75 per cent due to “chronic paucity” of doctors.
The communiqué signed by Dr Emmanuel Edoga and Dr. Chukwunonso Ofonere, President and General Secretary of the association respectively, noted that there had been chronic shortage of medical manpower, doctors at house officers, residents and consultants’ levels.
The communiqué reads in part, “That the association of Resident Doctors ESUTH-TH Parklane declared a state of Emergency in ESUT-Teaching Hospital due to chronic paucity.
“That starting from Monday, July 19, 2021, the Association of Resident Doctors, Parklane will in conjunction with MDCAN ESUT-TH Parklane, scale-down all admissions/emergency intakes and clinic consultations by 25 per cent in the first instance and 50 per cent from Monday, August 2, 2021, if recruitments are not carried out.”
The association therefore, called on the hospital management to urgently employ a minimum of 20 new House Officers, stressing that the House Officers could be recruited from the newly inducted medical doctors.
It also said, “That the hospital management should also urgently engage new residents in the following departments: Surgery, Psychiatry, Anesthesia, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and Gynecology, radiology among others.”
Furthermore, the association demanded that the remaining stagnated medical officers be properly placed, in terms of seniority and arrears paid; adding that the post part-1 senior Registrar be immediately advanced, and all arrears paid.
ESUT-TH Parklane management it said should “immediately review the procedures and terms for refunds of update and exam expenses, to closely align with the provisions of MRTF, being implemented in Federal and some governments’ tertiary health Institutions.
“Plans for full implementation of MRTF should commence. The Hospital Management should also refund the Bench Fees paid by members of ARD ESUT-TH, prior to provisional stoppage of the implementation of Bench Fees by the Federal Government.”