News
Taraba Resident Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Taraba Specialist Hospital Jalingo Chapter have embarked on an indefinite strike action to press home their demands for adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among other issues.
The Resident Doctors are also protesting the non-implementation of the reversed Hazard Allowance and payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance and non-implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage, insecurity and non-ensuring of pay parity among doctors and medical internship training.
ARD President, Ahmed Gabriel, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on Friday blamed the decision on the state government for refusing to honour its part of the agreement.
He complained that medical personnel in the state have been exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that Taraba had not recorded any COVID-19 deaths due to the resilience of the health workers.
Read also: UITH Resident Doctors, Clarify Alleged Threat Of Strike
“Based on the WHO standard, the ratio of doctor to patient stands at one doctor to 600 patients, but in Nigeria currently the ratio is one doctor to 6400 patients, while in Taraba state it is one doctor to 33,000 patients and this is grossly inadequate.
“Currently the number of Doctors who are in Taraba State is actually less than ninety. The Taraba State Specialist hospital created 13 years ago has 19 permanent Doctors and Doctors on contract are 18 in number.
“You cannot build a system or run a viable system with this kind of arrangement and no internship training for medical interns, both nurses and medical laboratory unlike what is experienced in sister states.
“At the moment, there is the issue of COVID-19 pandemic and already the second wave is with us. So far, no medical health worker has been paid and the second wave is with us yet our morale is low,” he said.
Eko Hot Blog recalls that the Resident Doctors signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government three months ago to meet some of its pressing demands.
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