Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Doctors Declare Strike Over Attacks By Motorists


muhammad-ali-pate
The Association of Resident Doctors, University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Monday declared a three-day strike in protest against Saturday’s attack on two of their members by some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Oyo State.

The  ARD members were among persons  allegedly attacked by  NURTW members  while waiting to receive the body of their Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Kamorudeen Beyioku, who was shot earlier in the week by unknown persons.


President of the ARD,  UCH chapter,   Dr. Tunde Babasanya,  said during a media conference  on Monday  his members had resolved to embark on a three-day strike to express their anger at  the  treatment meted out to doctors at the  hospital.

He said, “It is sad and the situation is getting out of hand. Many of our members have  been victimised and the undeserving treatment is fast becoming a norm.

“Last year, a doctor was attacked with gun at the Accident and Emergency Unit. That same year,  a female doctor was dragged on the floor, while another doctor was reportedly beaten up at the Children Emergency Unit.

“We agreed on a 72-hour strike,  believing that the management would meet us midway before the expiration of the strike and we would review the situation. The action is directed at sending a message to the transport union members to stop harassing us.”

However, the hospital’s  Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge, who spoke with reporters,  condemned the action of the association.

He  said, “We came to work this morning only to meet an illegal strike action by the resident doctors.

“We managed an important personality who had a gunshot wound  to  his upper tummy. We removed the bullets in his abdominal cavity and he was responding well until we discovered that he had renal impairment.

He had the first dialysis and while he was about to receive the second one,  he had cardiac arrest and passed away.

“It was between the process of autopsy and the release of his remains for burial that a medical officer was assaulted. While we are not in support of this we are also not in support of the strike.

Strike is not the solution. When there is dispute, the proper thing is to report to the authorities. But there was no formal report in this case.”

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