OAUTH doctors protest poor welfare

Members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest on the premises of the hospital, over issues bordering on their welfare.

The doctors carried large banners with inscriptions such as: “Is anyone playing fiddle while OAUTHC burns?” “Improved welfare,” “Well equipped facilities,” “No to illegal doctors,” and placards with inscriptions, “Only healthy doctors can take care of patients,” “Where is the salary on services rendered?” among others.

They marched around the facility, singing solidarity songs and decrying the non-conducive working environment in the hospital.

They subsequently gave the management four weeks to address the issues raised or face industrial unrest in the facility.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the ARD OAUTHC chapter president, Dr Ibukunoluwa Enesi, flanked by the Public Relations Officer, Dr Rasheed Abiola, said the association did not have other options left, following the failure of the management to address the demands placed before it by the doctors.

‘We are giving the hospital management a four-week ultimatum to address these issues. Failure to do so may result in industrial disharmony between our members and the hospital management,” he said.

On their demands, Enesi said, “It is unfortunate that despite the shortage of doctors in the hospital, the hospital owes about 42 doctors 14 months’ salary arrears and about 45 doctors March 2024 salary arrears.

“While we have engaged the management in formal and informal meetings, the best our members got was three months’ salary arrears out of 17 months, the remaining 14 months as of today, July 1, 2024.

“We want to use this medium to express our displeasure at the attitude of the management toward the accoutrement allowance that has been paid in some centres in the country.

“We observed with dismay the speed at which the OAUTHC management implemented this draconian policy of no work, no pay for a five-day protest of the association for non-payment of the 14 months’ arrears of our members.”

Reacting on behalf of the hospital management, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Josephine Ezeyi, assured that OAUTH was committed to the welfare of its staff members, adding that previous mismanagement was responsible for the challenges facing the hospital.

She urged the doctors to be patient with the management, noting that all was being done to meet their demands.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).