OAUTH doctors protest over poor welfare

The Association of Resident Doctors at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals, Ile-Ife, staged a peaceful protest on the hospital grounds on Monday, seeking to address pressing welfare issues affecting their members.

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.

With solidarity songs and chants, the resident doctors marched around the hospital, protesting the unfavorable working conditions that have long plagued the facility.

The resident doctors issued a four-week ultimatum to the hospital management, demanding prompt action to address their concerns and threatening industrial action.

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.”

In response, Dr. Josephine Ezeyi, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, speaking on behalf of the hospital management, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured that OAUTH is dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of its staff.

Dr. Ezeyi appealed to the doctors to exercise patience and understanding, assuring them that the management is working diligently to address their concerns and meet their demands.