NAN – Resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, on Thursday resumed work after three days warning strike, but insisted to begin total strike on June 29.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors, under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), had on Monday embarked on the strike which ended on Wednesday.
NAN reports that the strike was to protest against the non-payment of their skipping allowance contrary to the Federal Government’s directive.
Commenting, Dr Ramon Moronkola, President of the association, said that the doctors had given management a seven-day ultimatum on June 8 to implement the payment of skipping.
According to him, the management, however, refused to address this issue within the period of the ultimatum.
“That was why we went on three days warning strike which ended on Wednesday.
“We are now set for total strike on June 29, if the management still refuses to address our demands.
“We hope that the few days remaining will further serve as a window of opportunity for productive dialogue with management to avert total strike.
“We are still appealing to the management and also asking Nigerians to prevail on the hospital management to pay us our allowance and May salary to avert the strike,’’ Moronkola said.
In his reaction, Prof. Chris Bode, LUTH Acting Chief Medical Director, said the management had told the doctors that payment of such money was not within the capacity of any teaching hospital.
“I do not have about N50 million to pay resident doctors monthly.
“Strike is not the solution to these challenges as lives of innocent people are at stake. It will not solve the problems.
“ARD should not disrupt services in this institution.
“Those that do not want to work can go, but they should please allow those that want to work to work,’’ he told NAN.
