Medical services paralysis in Enugu as doctors join nationwide strike

RESIDENT doctors in Enugu on Monday joined their counterparts in a nation-wide strike they embarked  to press home their demands.
A visit to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and Park-lane Teaching Hospital, all in Enugu on Monday, showed many empty beds as patients were unattended to by the doctors due to the industrial action.
It was also observed that many patients are now patronizing private hospitals as doctors did not give them medical treatment in compliance with national directive of their association.
One of the patients who simply gave his name as Ezeama said he is highly disturbed by the strike, adding that he had no money to treat his wife at the private hospital.
“Tell government to listen to the doctors and resolve the issue for the sake of us the poor ones. There is no money in the country now” he added.
The Chairman of NARD, Enugu, Mazi Ndiokwelu, told Nigerian Tribune in Enugu on Monday that they stayed off the hospitals in compliance with the national directive of their union.
“Yes, we are on strike. We did not go back to work because we have to obey our national leaders. We will stay away pending on the national directive of our union”, he added.
President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Onyebueze John, had said that they have resolved to reject the promissory offer from Government for an indefinite strike until all items in her demand list for strike action are resolved by Government.