Doctors’ Strike Takes Toll on Patients

Must we all die before something is done about these doctors demands? Why the heck do we complain about brain drain when we can't even manage the ones we have at home? Do governments at all level realise that doctors are also human beings with families to feed and take care off? Forget ethics if you do not take care of your workforce this is what you get, "gabbage-in-gabbage out". Any wonder why these people do not give a damn? They go to UK or America to treat headache and small fever. God will never forgive these people and they will reap what they sow a million fold.

Doctors’ Strike Takes Toll on Patients
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 02.13.2008
THISDAY


No fewer than eight patients on admission, including free lance reported with one of the national dailies in Port Harcourt, have died as a result of the current strike embarked upon by resident doctorsin the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital(UPTH).
Management staff of the hospital have, however, resolved to provide skeletal services to serious cases among the patients while they explore ways of resolving the labour problem .
When THISDAY called at the hospital, some patients were seen openly weeping without anyone to attend to them while attempts made to see the Chief Medical Director were unsuccessful as he was said to be attending to some emergencies.
The doctors embarked on the strike over alleged failure of the hospital's management to pay the new salary structure approved for resident doctors, the arrears of which have run into 11 months.
Chairman of the resident doctors, Dr. C. Amadi had blamed the management for the impasse, saying they had issued ultimatum that were ignored after series of letters on the issue.
The doctors have, however, resolved to continue with the strike until they are paid all their arrears.
However, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council, Mr. Aaron Ojule, said they were doing everything to ensure that the striking doctors returned to work and appealed to the doctors to consider the effect of their strike and return to their duty posts.
He assured that everything was being done to ensure that their grievances were attended to, citing several meetings they have held with them as pointer of their resolve to tackle the problem.