Our strike not against Buhari – Resident doctors

UCHE AKOLISA
The Association of Resident Doctors has clarified that the current nationwide strike embarked upon by its members is not against President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti chapter, stated this in a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Dr. Otutoaja Uzoma and General Secretary, Dr. Oladeji Ekundayo, and made available to journalists, yesterday.

The body explained that the strike was to press home the implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale, earlier approved before Buhari’s assumption of office.

The body insisted that it would ensure its implementation by the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele, whom they accused of financial mismanagement.

The body, in the resolution reached at its July 9 meeting in Ido Ekiti, accused the hospital’s management of using money earmarked for the payment of salaries and emoluments to implement capital projects in the hospital.

The doctors stated that the situation in the hospital would not have degenerated to this sorry state, but for the management’s alleged nonchalant attitude to their agitations, which bordered on welfare of workers and improved facilities.

They accused Ayodele of “illegal withholding of May/June salaries as against FG’s directives as regards upgrade of doctors interns, failure to refund remunerations for examinations and revision courses since 2012.

“The CMD has demonstrated insensitivity to the payment of our relocation allowances, 2014 promotion arrears, annual step increment for all staff.

“We are not unaware that the CMD has been singing the song of a shortfall in the fund, but what of the excess billions being realised from budgetary provision yearly, what of the IGR being generated from patients and other services being offered to Nigerians,” they asked.

Ayodele had on Monday called on the Federal Government to sponsor a bill that will criminalise strike action by medical workers.

He lamented that the incessant strike by the doctors was crippling the health sector in the country.

Ayodele, however, appealed to doctors in the Federal Teaching Hospital to show understanding, saying, “The templates for the implementation of CONMESS and payment for skipping CONHESS 2 have not been released by Federal Government, let alone releasing money for their payments.”