Health

Ekiti hospital workers declare strike over attack on facility, colleagues

Doctors and other health workers at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, have declared an indefinite strike over an attack on the facility by suspected hoodlums.

It was gathered that the hoodlums invaded the hospital in Ado-Ekiti in the early hours of Monday, January 15, 2024.

The assailants were said to have attacked doctors and other health workers on duty over allegations of negligence and incompetence on their part, which they claimed led to the death of a patient, said to be the father of one of the attackers.

It was learnt that the hoodlums vandalised some equipment at the hospital and allegedly took away the corpse of the deceased.

Sequel to the incident, the Association of Resident Doctors, the EKSUTH chapter, directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect, describing the attack as one in a series.

The decision of the association was conveyed in a letter signed by its president, Dr Famous Adeyemi, and addressed to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Kayode Olabanji.

The letter read in part: “The above-named association writes to notify you about the decision of the emergency congress held today to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect.

“This followed the actions of hoodlums who stormed the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital in the early hours of today (Monday) and assaulted some doctors, destroyed several hospital equipment, property, and stole a corpse during the attack.

“This attack is happening at the time our members are showing understanding with the State Government on the non-implementation of our demands on improved welfare vis-a-vis being faced with work overload and exhaustion.”

The doctors further decried what they described as “poor remuneration, pay disparity, and the attending effect of local brain drain”.

“We wish to use this opportunity to call on the management of EKSUTH and Governor Biodun Oyebanji to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice for their actions,” they added.

They also urged the Ekiti State Government to “as a matter of urgency, attend to our pending demands, which bother on improved welfare for our members”.

“We implore the management and the government to provide a lasting solution to these incessant attacks,” the association further stated.

It warned that the strike would not be called off until its demands were met.

The Star