Consultants, nurses takeover, as doctors strike paralyses Ogun hospitals
Consultants and nurses have taken over medical duties at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, as the nationwide strike embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) paralyses activities at the hospitals.
When our correspondent visited the FMC, yesterday, many patients had been discharged by the hospital.
Daily Trust observed that regular and consultant doctors at the FMC were seen replacing the resident doctors who joined their counterparts nationwide in the ongoing strike.
It was observed that only emergency cases were attended to by consultants, nurses and other auxiliary staff of the hospital who were on the ground.
The Head of Clinical Services of the hospital, Dr Fidelis Ojeblenu, described the strike as unfortunate, especially when the country is battling to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease.
He lamented that the strike would drastically affect the success the country had recorded so far in the fight against the new COVID-19.
He said, “A strike at this point in time is rather unfortunate because we know that COVID-19 is still here with us even though the curve is flattening gradually.”
Ojeblenu said the hospital had put in place mechanisms to mitigate the effect of the strike, but “There is no doubt that the strike will have a terrible effect on the days to come because this cannot be sustained for a long time.
“It is going to deplete the workforce drastically and of course we might just be forced to attend to only emergencies while elective and routine cases will now have to be pushed to the background.”
One of the resident doctors at the hospital who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the strike by the over 300 resident doctors had grounded activities such as clinic, ward round and theatre sessions.
The Secretary of ARD OOUTH, Dr. Tope Osundara, confirmed the commencement of the strike at the hospital.
When asked whether they joined the strike or not, Osundara said, “Yes, we have joined the strike; despite that, we just called off our strike.”
Meanwhile, families of patients at the University College Hospital (UCH) have been transferring their sick families to private hospitals in the state. The resident doctors embarked on the nationwide strike on Monday following their agitation from the federal government.
Our correspondent who went round some wards at the UCH reports that no doctor was available to attend to patients.
Speaking on the development, the president, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Oyo State chapter, Dr. Adedayo Williams, said although the federal government has already called them for a meeting which has been slated for Wednesday, they were not going to call off the strike without reasonable agreement.