Medical doctors in Ondo State, under the auspices of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo chapter, on Monday commenced an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries and allowances.
The doctors, who had earlier gone on a week warning strike last week, alleged that the government did not respond to their demands, hence the declaration of the indefinite strike.
The acting President of the National Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMEDTH Ondo, Dr Sanni Oriyomi, said the government was still owing doctors four and half months salaries, COVID-19 allowance and other entitlements.
According to him, many doctors have been resigning their appointment on a daily basis.
He said, “We are short-staffed; the resident doctors have been reduced in some of the departments; with this development, some of the doctors would have to do back-to-back calls. This is detrimental to our health.
“We have been working without house officers. We are saying no to all these. The issue of COVID-19 hazard allowance compared to what is being received in other states, we only received allowance for the month of June and 30 per cent of basic salary as against what we agreed with the government.
“Having persevered and cared for our patients, rendering our services, our salaries are not being paid. We are owed up to the tune of four and a half months salaries. We are finding it difficult to meet up with our obligations in our different homes. We can no longer pay our children’s school fees; we cannot cater for our families. We have been left with no other option but to commence an indefinite strike today.”
Reacting, the state acting Commissioner for Health, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, said the state government was already working towards ensuring that resident doctors receive their salaries same day with the civil servants.
He said the government planned to move the aggrieved doctors’ salaries to the central payment system.
