The three-day warning strike declared by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has paralysed healthcare delivery at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NARD declared a nationwide warning strike on Monday to press for the payment of outstanding salaries and allowances for its members.
Also joined in the strike were members the Joint Health Sector Unions at the FMC, Yenagoa, over nonpayment of promotion arrears.
Dr Ugoeze Asinobi, Chairman, FMC, Yenagoa chapter of NARD, said members of the association complied with the directive of their national body.
“We are complying with the directive to commence a three-day warning strike.
“It is a nationwide issue, but the strike by other categories of health workers in the hospital is a local matter and is not related to our own,’’ he said.
NAN correspondent who monitored the strike reports that out-patient wards were closed as the patients were turned back by officials of the unions.
Mr Simon Bernabas, an executive of Joint Health Sector Unions at FMC, Yenagoa, said the unions were compelled to embark on a warning strike over non-payment of promotion arrears.
Bernabas said that the unions regretted the hardship faced by members of the public, and appealed for understanding.
He said there was a total compliance as representatives of the various unions were going round to monitor compliance.
It was gathered that patients on admission were receiving treatment as some category of health workers were rendering skeletal services to patients.
Some patients who were at the hospital to receive treatment at the Out-Patients Department (OPD) expressed disappointment over the strike.
Chioma Ukandu, a patient, appealed to the government to intervene and resolve the grievances of the workers.
“I am surprised to find out that workers are on strike, even as health workers are supposed to render essential services.
“The feuding parties should consider the health of members of the public and resolve these issues without delay,” Ukandu said.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital was said to be unavailable when NAN visited the hospital.
