Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has threatened to sack all the consultant doctors involved in the industrial action embarked on by doctors of state-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH).
The threat by the governor was said to have been prompted by the non- commencement of medical examinations, yesterday, in all the departments in the hospital due to absence of many of the consultants, who are also lecturers in the faculty of medicine.
Reliable source in government told newsmen, yesterday, that Governor Obiano was unhappy that the consultants, numbering about 57 joined resident doctors in the strike, a development that had paralysed all services in the hospital.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Anambra State chapter, said the doctors were not afraid of the governor’s threat.
But government source said the governor had reminded the striking doctors that they have no existing conditions of service and that the demand they were making from the state government was, therefore, out of place as the state government had only begun to work out conditions of service for workers of the hospital in line with existing conditions in other teaching hospitals in the country.
“From what is happening, it would appear that the doctors’ strike was being fuelled from outside by politicians because despite the governor’s promise that he was working out improved conditions of service for the doctors, they have remained adamant.
“Their action may force the governor to sack all of them and recruit new ones, who would then enjoy the conditions of service that is in the making.”
At the commencement of the strike, Governor Obiano held a meeting with the leadership of NARD, COOUTH chapter and promised to look into their grievances as soon as the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), improved, but, which they rejected.
However, in their reaction yesterday, the President of NARD of the hospital, Dr. Obinna Aniagboso said though they were not afraid of the governor’s threat, it was only advisable that the state government toe the line of peace.