Doctors embark on indefinite strike in Enugu

Association of Resident Doctors at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, ESUT-Parklane, has embarked on indefinite strike pending fulfillment of their agreement with the state government.

This is contained in a letter sent to the Chief Medical Director, ESUT- Parklane, Prof. Hyacinth Onah, signed by the President and Secretary of the association, Dr Chima Edoga and Dr Chukwunonso Ofonere respectively.

In the letter titled, ‘Notice of Resumption of Suspended Indefinite Withdrawal of Services by the Association of Resident Doctors, ESUT-TH Parklane,’ the doctors said their action could have been avoided if Enugu State Government had kept to the written approval and numerous reassurances given to the association.

In the letter dated April 24, 2020, they noted that “medical doctors have become endangered species in the face of very deadly diseases such as Lassa fever and COVID-19,” insisting that it was only fair that they should be promptly given their due.

The association said they also received verbal reassurances that a written approval would be fully implemented in April 2020 but was shocked that the state government reneged on the promise upon payment of April 2020 salary.

The strike is coming barely 24 hours after the state government announced that it had paid the doctors and other health workers their April salary and COVID-19 allowances.

Our correspondent gathered that the relationship between the doctors and the state government became frosty when other health workers in the hospital began to agitate for similar consolidated salaries following the hint that the government had approved the ARD’s demand.

However, sources said that in a bid to resolve the matter, the government directed all the associations of health workers in Parklane to harmonise their demands and forward same to the state with a view to finding lasting solutions to their agitations.