Osun doctors protest non-payment of salaries, poor hospital environment

Medical doctors in Osun state on Thursday staged a protest in Osogbo, the state capital, over unpaid salaries and poor condition of hospitals in the state.

The doctors trooped out from the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital and moved to the popular old garage.

From there, they proceeded to the Ola-Iya junction and stopped at Oke-Fia roundabout.

Chanting various anti-government songs, the doctors described Rauf Aregbesola, governor of the state, as “callous and cruel”.

Speaking with journalists after the protest, Tokunbo Olajumoke, chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), accused Aregbesola of illegally slashing the salaries of doctors.

Olajumoke said the governor did not consult the association before slashing salaries of doctors.

He said despite the “mutilation of their salaries”, the government based tax on 100 percent.

“Our protest is not only centred on our salaries but state hospitals lack equipment and drugs. The conditions of our hospitals are bad,” he said.

“There are no drugs; the most expensive drugs in many hospitals are paracetamol and other painkillers.

“We say no to the obnoxious tax regime, we say no to amputated salaries and we want our hospitals to work in the interest of the people, who cannot afford to seek treatment abroad.

“After today’s protest, we will review our strategies and we will come up with a more drastic action and that is why we are calling on major stakeholders in the state to talk to the governor. We cannot give half treatment to our patients because we are being paid amputated salaries.”

Olajumoke said the doctors had done everything they could do to persuade the governor to listen to them and do the needful but Aregbesola remained adamant.

Reacting, Adelani Baderinwa, commissioner for information, appealed to the doctors to show understanding with the government.

“Our appeal to the doctors is that they should take the ethics of their profession seriously, they should consider the financial status of Nigeria which Osun state is part of,” he said.

“There should be synergy and understanding between the government and the doctors on the need to save lives.

“This administration is never found wanting in the area of workers’ welfare including the doctors.”