LUTH doctors deny suspending strike, says action will hold in June

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba has denied suspension of the just concluded two-day warning strike after the meeting held with management.
 
Management of the hospital had held an emergency meeting on Thursday following the two-day warning strike embarked by the doctors that took place on Wednesday and Thursday, in which both parties had discussed the issues raised and the demands of the doctors.
 
In a statement circulated to the media, which was also made available to The Guardian by the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Kelechi Otuneme, the management said it has “implemented and is still executing some of the issues raised by the association that are within its purview and that efforts would be intensified to ensure implementation by the Federal Government on the other issues that are beyond the Hospital.”
 
The statement said while ARD is asking for a timeline for its demands, representative of the chairman, LUTH Management Board, Bashir Bolarinwa said several of the items raised are beyond the jurisdiction of the hospital and requested they submit a list of all their demands to the management board for a holistic discussion at its next ordinary meeting, scheduled for June 2019.

The hospital management noted that at the end of the meeting, both parties agreed to embrace peace and suspend the strike.
When The Guardian contacted the President of the ARD, Kayode Makinde, he denied the suspension of the strike as an outcome of the meeting with the LUTH management board. He said though a meeting was held, there was no conclusion made. When asked on the hospital management board’s statement of implementation and execution of some of the issues raised by the doctors, he denied it, saying they’re yet to see any action.
 
He, however, said the hospital gave the circular to the media to cover up their deeds, warning the indefinite strike would still take place on June 3, 2019, but could be shifted due to Ramadan.