Resident Doctors In Ondo Teaching Hospital Protest Non Payment Of Entitlements

By Ayodele Oni

Just as Ondo State Government began recruitment of medical personnel to fill existing vacancies, members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, (UNIMEDTH) commenced 14 days warning strike action over non-payment of seven months salaries.

It was gathered that those being owed are newly recruited medical personnel. The striking ARD members staged a peaceful protest to press home their demands.

They carried placards with various inscriptions and vowed to ground activities at the hospital if their demands were not met.

President of the UNIMEDTH ARD, Dr. John Matthew, who spoke to journalists, said their members who joined the were yet to be paid.

Other reasons for the warning strike, according to Dr. 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, dearth of staff Due resignation of doctors from the institution.

He said there were only 26 members of ARD in the hospital against 150 members few months ago.

According to him: “We demand full payment of the arrears of salaries owed to our members and payment of  February 2024  palliative to our House officers.

“Management should pay February hazard allowance to our members and urgently address the severe clinical manpower shortage in the institution. Our members work everyday. There are no staff due to japa syndrome.”