Sick people in Ogun cry as striking doctors leave the wards

Eight days after the indefinite strike declared by medical doctors in Ogun State, the fate of the unfortunate patients seems to be hanging in the dark as they have been abandoned to deal with the various health conditions they are facing. have it.

Across the country, industrial action is disrupting the delivery of health care for patients with disabilities.

On Saturday, August 3, 2024, doctors, under the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, went on an indefinite strike following unresolved issues concerning the distribution of salaries between government workers and government.

Not many were aware of the industrial action until the state Chairman of NMA, Dr Kunle Ashimi, announced the development during a press conference on Tuesday.

He explained that the doctors went on strike because the state government rejected the previous agreements that limited the poor working conditions and the need to resolve the salary gap between the government medical workers. and those of the government.

According to him, the decision to continue with the indefinite strike came after the failure of the 3-day warning that was intended for the government to resolve the salary gap between the state and local government workers.

He said, “Unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement with the government. The government continues to call for minimum wages and other related issues to be normalized, but my people believe that we must deal with these issues head on.

“The core of the complaints of the doctors is on the reviewed CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure), which they believe should be used to prevent the migration of medical professionals to Ogun State. The government is losing many doctors every day because of the difference in salaries. If the reviewed CONMESS is paid, it will encourage doctors to stay. ”

Ashimi said the NMA has taken efforts to retain medical staff in the past two years to ensure that patients receive proper care.

“We report the things we have achieved that are aimed at helping doctors to feel part of the community. We have facilitated access to land for housing, created cooperatives for savings, and other measures. However, matching the salary of state employees with the salary of state employees will go a long way in encouraging doctors to stay.

“I went to a meeting that talked about human skills for health and I was not happy with the way doctors are leaving Nigeria, especially in the state where I work and where I am the Chairman of NMA . People are leaving in large numbers,” complained Ashimi.

He stressed that Ogun State, known as a gateway state, can handle the issue and ensure that the strike is temporary.

The NMA chairman added, “We strongly believe that if the government can promise to pay this amount in a timely manner through an agreement, we can go back to work. Verbal promises have often led to skepticism, so something needs to be written down.”

Now, the saying that when two elephants fight, the grass suffers, is being heard in health centers across the country.

While doctors are withdrawing their services, few medical professionals are working in skeletal services. Saturday PHUTHI reports.

When our correspondent visited the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, on Wednesday, all the wards were empty except for a few critically ill patients being managed by consultants.

It was gathered that the teaching hospital, since the strike began, has discharged many patients and stopped admitting new ones.

A nurse at the outpatient clinic, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the discharged patients may have to return when the strike ends.

Another, who also asked not to be identified, noted that the hospital, which used to be a wall of operations, now looks deserted since the strike began.

Looking very worried, he said, “You can see for yourself how desolate it seems to be everywhere, and it will only get worse if the government allows the strike to continue unnecessarily. The hospital no longer admits or cares for patients except for a few who may have time to meet with medical consultants.

We see many of them returning home disappointed. It is a common occurrence whenever there is an unfortunate incident like this. We sincerely pray that the problem will be solved in time because of the negative impact on health. You never know who will be affected. ”

A patient seen leaving the hospital, who refused to give his name, told the journalist that he was just informed that the doctors were on strike, and was advised to seek medical help elsewhere.

Weeping, the middle-aged man described the situation as confusing, saying it has always been difficult for Nigerians whenever public hospitals are blocked due to avoidable strikes.

“I don’t know why the doctors are on strike, but every time it happens, it’s the people who suffer. With the current economic crisis and all that we are facing in the country right now, how many of us can afford to seek medical care in private institutions?

“How much money? So, I just pray that God will help us in Nigeria. We should have passed these devastating, endless strikes in our hospitals. It’s painful and very confusing, I have to say,” he said.

At the outpatient clinic of the government hospital in Ijaye, Abeokuta, all the waiting rooms were empty.

The staff told the reporter that the doctors were on strike and asked if he needed any kind of help.

a worker who was sitting nearby shouted, “But you have just been told that the doctors are on strike, what else do you want us to do?”

It was also gathered that the medical consultants have been holding the fort at the hospital since the indefinite strike began.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the press, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, OOUTH, Dr. Olusola Monehin, said the decision to go on strike is very painful but necessary.

He explained that doctors are not always happy to strike because of the possible consequences for public welfare, but they may not have a choice if, after many requests, the government refuses to prioritize their welfare. .

While highlighting the reasons for the industrial action, Monehin said, “For example, this strike is because the government has refused to implement a higher review of our CONMESS wage structure to show that the workers and we who work with the federal government and even neighboring states like Lagos, Ekiti, among others, are already enjoying.

“We have been on this issue since 2023, but there is no commitment from the state government. We have served the government for 21 days twice on this issue without any meaningful result. This was followed by a strike one of the 3 days of warning we did not even lower our demand to the MoU, but nothing happened.

“The truth is that we already have a very bad situation due to many medical workers moving abroad because of poor working conditions and salaries under the Japanese epidemic. Now, the few who are available also leave in large numbers to other neighboring states. They go to federal hospitals, while others move to Babcock University Teaching Hospital because of the salaries better, and this makes things difficult for us. The resignation of doctors is a daily thing here. I don’t know what to say about continuing. This is why we have been encouraging the national government to implement this upward review of our CONMESS wage structure. But all they are saying is to wait for the implementation of the newly signed minimum wage, which is which is incorrect because they are two different things.

He added, “The top check we want is a mandatory fix, but the minimum wage is a completely different ball game. Whatever we do is to make sure that the citizens of the state get the best health services, but what magic can we do when few medical staff are desperate and sick?

“We are saddened by what is happening, and we strongly urge the people of the state to help us ask Governor Dapo Abiodun to listen to us and do the needful. Starting a strike is never something we like to go. It is always something We don’t want to do it but we have to stand up for a good cause that will improve health care delivery. We have to do it for the betterment of all.”

Corroborating what the ARD President said, the Chairman of the Association of Medical Consultants of Nigeria, OOUTH, Sagamu, Dr Femi Akodu, said the consultants are currently attending to a few seriously ill patients in the hospital.

However, he said the action will not go beyond August 13, the date given to the consultants by the NMA to go on strike.

Akiolu said, “If on August 13, this strike continues, we will also withdraw our services and join the strike. That is an order from the Ogun NMA.”

A social activist, Samson Adeagbo, criticized the government for refusing to support the health sector properly and save Nigerians from preventable pain and death.

Adeagbo said, “Every time I hear about our doctors on strike, I am always saddened and angry because of the insensitivity of the government to attend to the needs of the health workers, which are always about improved service levels and social welfare.

“This is what has made our health sector depressed and dull only because of the hundreds of medical professionals who migrate every year to other parts of the world where they are properly paid and recognized. .

“And who are the people who are suffering, or how many people can afford private medical care with the current economic crisis? Governor Abiodun should think about the people who are suffering when the health services are established. I ask him to attend to the needs of these doctors because what they are asking for is their right. Or would you say that the work done in Lagos State or federal government hospitals is different from that done in Ogun State?”

Meanwhile, efforts to speak to the Health Commissioner, Dr Tomi Coker, proved futile as calls to him went unanswered, and messages sent to his WhatsApp when Mine was answered as of the time of filing this report.