Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University of Medical Sciences Teching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo State, have embarked on a 14-day warning strike.
According to the doctors, the decision to downtool for two weeks was hinged on the non-payment of seven months salaries to their new members.
The striking ARD members, who staged a peaceful protest to press home their demands, vowed to ground activities at the hospital until their demands were met.
President of the UNIMEDTH ARD, Dr. John Matthew, who spoke to journalists, stated that their members who joined the teaching hospital were yet to be paid.
Other reasons for the warning strike, according to Matthew, were non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, non-payment of February hazard allowance despite promise by the state government to pay two months, and dearth of staff due to the resignation of doctors from the medical facility.
Matthew added that there were only 26 members of ARD in the hospital, compared to 150 a few months ago.
He said, “We demand full payment of the arrears of salaries owed to our members and payment of the February 2024 palliative to our House officers.
“Management should pay a February hazard allowance to our members and urgently address the severe clinical manpower shortage in the institution.
“Our members work every day. There are no staff due to Japan syndrome.”
