Rabiu Omaku
Resident Doctors in Public health facilities across Nasarawa State have withdrawn their services completely in compliance with the five days warning strike declared by the National Association of Resident Doctors.
The National Association of Resident Doctors last Wednesday declared a five-day warning strike following the Federal Government’s inability to address their demands.
The issues that necessitated the strike according to the resident doctors include poor infrastructure and manpower shortage in the health sector, and nonpayment of the Medical Residency Training Fund.
Other demands include no increments of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure as well as the failure of state Governments across the country to pay salary arrears of doctors.
When Universal Reporters visited the Nasarawa State Government-owned Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, virtually no Resident Doctors especially those on call were seen at their duty posts.
Some major units of the hospitals such as Out Patient, Casualty, and maternity which used to record large numbers of patients on a daily basis were completely empty.
The State President National Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Yakubu Adeleke Ademola who was seen going around the hospital in the company of other officials to ensure resident doctors stay away from the facility said they had no other option than to comply with the directive.
Dr. Adeleke Yakubu pointed out that doctors in public health facilities work under intense pressure due to poor welfare and inadequate personnel however called on Nasarawa State Government to take urgent steps to address the issues to avoid a further impasse.
In an interview, eighty-year-old Baba Hassan Audu said he had been at the hospital to access treatment since morning but he was asked to go back.
” I have been suffering from toothache. I have an appointment with the doctor to receive medical attention but on reaching the hospital I was told the doctors have gone on strike. I cannot afford the medical bill at a private hospital.”
While Mrs. Halima Tanko who appealed for the immediate end of the strike expressed worry that the conditions of her twin babies who were born a few days before the strike might get worst as she had no means of accessing treatment for the babies in private hospitals.
“I gave birth to this set of twins a few days back, I brought them to the hospital because they are having some health issues but there is no doctor to attend to them. I am appealing to the government to listen to the demands of the doctors in our own interest.”
Meanwhile, some major private health facilities in the state have continued to witness an increased number of patients due to the ongoing nationwide strike by resident doctors.
