The Anambra state resident doctors under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) have threatened to shut down services following Governor Willie Obiano’s failure to fix the rot and degradation of personnel at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.
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The resident doctors had in December last year after its general congress issued a 21-day ultimate to Chief Willie Obiano to address all challenges confronting the medical personnel in the state hospital.
Their prayers include inter allia: appropriate placement of doctors in the remuneration platform as obtainable in other places and payment of 100 per cent revised CONMESS as contained in the Salary Review Committee report.
Other prayers include adequate funding of COOUTH to enable provision of needed human and material resources for improved patient care and quality services befitting of a teaching hospital; Well structured academic programme for residency and full implementation of the Residency Teaching act recently signed into law by Federal Government.
The association in a communique signed by the ARD President, Dr. Obinna Aniagboso and his secretary, Dr. Chidiebele Egolum, respectively, lamented the poor funding of the health institution and lack of implementation of the 2018 budgetary provision for COOUTH.
Anigbogu, who said the 21 days ultimatum elapsed few days ago, noted that government should not expect industrial harmony in the state, lamenting that they are the lowest paid in the country.
“The COOUTH doctors are the lowest paid in Nigeria and the entire West African region earning less than 40 per cent of the recommended CONMESS salary structure.
“In spite of the laudable efforts of the CMD to increase productivity and excellence, there remains widespread disenchantment and morale plummet amongst doctors.
“That the current situation has endangered much instability in the workforce via continual efflux of experienced personnel leading to grossly inadequate medical personnel.
“The current paltry pay of doctors cannot support residency training Programme (RTP) which requires periodic update courses.
“It is our earnest hope that the state government would graciously takes steps to address these demands in order to ensure the continued smooth running of the hospital; otherwise we may not guarantee industrial harmony” he said.