Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, in Ondo state have embarked on indefinite strike action.
This was in compliance with the directive by its National body to commence the industrial action on Monday, August 2, 2021.
The doctors strike action is coming at a critical period that the country is experiencing a rise in the third wave of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The general hospitals and the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, in Owo showed that the strike action was the strictest adhered to by the doctors as they were absent from the wards and their offices.
Some of the doctor’s interviewed who spoke in confidence said that there was no backing down on the strike unless their demands are met by the government.
The chairman of the association in the state, Tope Olatilu said that the action was 100 percent effective across that state.
Olatilu told the Vanguard that the doctors won’t return to work until government implement the agreements it entered with the union 113 days after it suspended the previous strike as a reason for the industrial action.
Speaking on the rationale for the strike, he said that it includes the poor working environment in public hospitals, irregular payment of doctors salaries, and hazard allowances of N5000 which was reviewed last in 1991.
Olatilu regretted government was handling the health of its citizens with levity.
He noted that “only four percent of the total budget is allocated to the health sector, while 25-50 percent goes into payment of those in power.
“That shows that priority lies more on the interest of those in power than on Nigerian citizens.”
