Doctors at Ondo FMC commence strike, gives reasons

The Federal Medical Centre in Owo's Association of Resident Doctors members have started a two-week warning strike citing a staffing shortage.

After the general meeting of the association, the doctors allegedly shut down hospital operations.

Dr. Olaopa Gideon, the president of the ARD Owo FMC, stated that the strike action was unavoidable because of the workers' "very stressful working conditions."

He said that the hospital only employed 80 resident doctors and health officers at the time and that no new hires had been made there since 2018.

He said, “But now one person is doing the job of five persons. We have been on this issue since last year. The situation keeps getting worst because a lot of people are leaving the system.

“There has not been any employment in the FMC Owo, since 2018. The employment of additional 200 doctors and health officers will solve the problem. They are also not paying for our extra work. We are doing duty calls every day.”

The displeased physicians also brought up the problem of their hospital annexe coworkers' lack of suitable and safe housing in a communiqué published at the conclusion of the conference.

"We encourage the management and all pertinent departments of the Federal Government to ensure the employment of the resident doctors and House Officers to the hospital to ease the extreme personnel shortage and onerous workload being faced by our members in the hospital," the communiqué said.

The Association demands that resident physicians and house officers be hired as soon as possible since it can no longer tolerate the burnout that many of its members are going through.

The association executives should certify the standard of the accommodations before acceptance. "The management should give a befitting accommodation fortified with necessary amenities for those now being posted to Akure Annex."