Lagos resident doctors suspend industrial action

Resident doctors in government-owned hospitals in Lagos on Thursday resumed duty following the suspension of their three-day warning strike.

However, those at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, continued, citing “local” pending issues.

On May 27, 2014, national president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD),  Dr Jibril Abdullahi, announced that the doctors would embark on a three-day warning strike from June 2, 2014, owing to grievances over residency training and the re-integration of the doctors into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Others were the payment of three months’ salary arrears owed doctors in the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and the non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).

Doctors at Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Meta; Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja were seen attending to patients

Dr Akintayo Akindele, president of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos Chapter, said that their resumption was in the interest of the patients and the nation at large.

Also, Dr Olusegun Akinwotu, president of the association at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, said the suspension was informed by the doctors’ concern for the patients.

“We decided to suspend the strike in the interest of our patients, who we consider paramount,” he said.

Henry Etim, the public relations officer, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Meta, Lagos, said the resident doctors in the hospital had resumed at their duty posts.

“All resident doctors in the hospital were fully at work as at 8.00 a.m,” he told NAN.

A resident doctor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipe, also confirmed that the doctors had suspended their industrial action.

But the situation was different at LUTH, where resident doctors refused to suspend their strike on the grounds that they still had some local issues waiting to be resolved.

Dr. Omojowolo Olubunmi said that although the NARD warning strike had ended, the LUTH-ARD would continue with its indefinite strike, since the LUTH management was yet to meet the association’s demands, especially the problem of residency training.