Medical services to patients were on Wednesday disrupted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) following the nationwide warning strike declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to protest the inability of the Federal Government to implement pending agreements with the doctors.
David Orhewere, president of NARD, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, told BusinessDay that the strike, which commenced at 8am on Wednesday, May 17, will linger till 8am on Monday, May 22, 2023.
Orhewere, however, explained that those not in critical condition were discharged prior to the commencement of the industrial action so that the consultants can take proper care of those patients critically ill.
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“The situation of UBTH is calm. We are in full compliance with the strike. As it stands now, we are residents in training and the patients are under consultants and that is why we actually met yesterday to properly inform our consultants so that they will take responsibility for the patient.
“Prior to this warning strike, we had given a two-week ultimatum for the issues to be attended to which expired last Friday,” Orhewere said.
He listed some of their demands to include manpower shortage, infrastructural development and remuneration increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) salary structure to the tune of 200 percent of the current gross salary of doctors as well as payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2023.
He warned that if there was no commitment from the government, the national executive council (NEC) of NARD will meet to decide on the next move.
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