Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Resident Doctors of the Anambra State-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Awka, have commenced an indefinite strike.
The strike according to the doctors was the last resort to drive home their demand for resolution of the issues of “poor condition of service, poor remuneration and non- diagnostic equipment” in the hospital among other problems.
Announcing the commencement of the indefinite strike, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors of COOUTH, Dr. Obinna Aniagboso, said the action became inevitable following the failure of the state government to honour the agreement it signed with the association on January 17, 2019 during their warning strike.
But in a swift reaction to the development, the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who it was gathered was not in the know of the threats of the doctors to go on strike, requested and scheduled a meeting with the executive of the association that was yet to hold at press time.
Confirming the governor’s position shortly after meeting with the executive of the association, NMA state secretariat, in Awka, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike said: “On the issue of the strike, they earlier gave a warning that they would embark on the action base on issue that surrounds their salary; they want salary increment and improved condition service and few other things they requested for; this prompted the governor to set up a committee that looked into it.
“We’ve held several meetings with them and we agreed on certain issues; what they are requesting for is genuine enough and government is disposed towards doing it because government wants to address the issue of salary and minimum wage holistically. But we are surprised this morning to hear the have embarked on a strike.
“So we have communicated to His Excellency, the executive governor who will actually address them.
“There is actually no big issues because there is no contention, what is important is that they are expediting government action, which government has to be fully prepared to do. So, it is good that the governor will address them this evening and we are assured that the issue will be resolved because this government has been workers-friendly and we have never had any issue of industrial action in the past five years of this administration.”
Also speaking on the meeting, Aniagboso said: “We are happy the honourable commissioner is here this afternoon and we had a fruitful discussion. His Excellency has also reached out to us and a meeting has been scheduled; so we are very hopeful that we will work together to have a speedy resolution. For the strike, it is still on for now.”
Addressing newsmen earlier in the morning to announce the strike Aniagboso had said: “The resident doctors alleged that instead of resolving the issues at hand, the management made arrangements to hire doctors they would pay N15,000 daily to work if they down tool.
“We recall that an agreement was signed with the state government that by April 2019, the following policies would be implemented in the hospital: provision of adequate infrastructure that would improve clinical and diagnostic proficiency for improved patient’s care and specialist training.
“Completion and adoption of staff condition of service including granting of in-service training to qualified medical officers and placement of staff in the appropriate salary scale with implementation of full welfare package as obtainable in other tertiary institutions.
“The dearth of modern equipment and diagnostic facilities have been impeding efficient health care delivery, hampering residency training, research and academic progress and thus posing as a serious blow to patients’ treatment and production of needed specialist manpower.
“It is on record that health workers in the hospital earn the least in the country if not in the whole of West Africa. It is also no news that doctors here earn below 50% of their actual entitlement compared to their counterparts elsewhere.”