By IDOWU ARIWODOLA

Doctors and other health workers at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti have declared an indefinite strike over the reported invasion of the facility by suspected hoodlums.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt from sources that the hoodlums invaded the hospital in Ado Ekiti in the early hours of Monday.

The assailants were reported to have attacked doctors and other health workers on duty over allegations of negligence and incompetence on their part, which they claimed led to the death of a patient, said to be the father of one of the attackers.

The hoodlums were also said to have vandalised some equipment at the hospital and allegedly took away the corpse of the deceased.

Sequel to the incident, the Association of Resident Doctors, the EKSUTH chapter, directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect, describing the attack as one in a series.

The decision of the association was conveyed in a letter signed by its President, Dr Famous Adeyemi, and addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the facility, Prof. Kayode Olabanji.

The letter read in part: “The above named association writes to notify you about the decision of the emergency congress held today to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect.

“This followed the actions of hoodlums who stormed the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital in the early hours of today (Monday) and assaulted some doctors, destroyed several hospital equipment, property and stole a corpse during the attack.

“This attack is happening at the time our members are showing understanding with the State Government on the non-implementation of our demands on improved welfare vis-a-vis being faced with work overload and exhaustion.”

The doctors decried what they regarded as “poor remuneration, pay disparity and the attending effect of local brain drain.

“We wish to use this opportunity to call on the management of EKSUTH and Gov. Biodun Oyebanji to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice for their actions,” they added.

They also urged the State Government to “as a matter of urgency, attend to our pending demands, which bother on improved welfare for our members

“We implore the management and the government to provide a lasting solution to these incessant attacks,” the association further stated.

It warned that the strike would not be called off until its demands were met.

Also, the state Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council, Mr. Femi Ajoloko, said that the lives of workers in the hospital were in danger, due to the incessant attacks on them allegedly by families of the hospital patients.

He said it was wrong for families and sympathisers of any patient to invade the hospital in such a violent manner and illegally remove the corpse of their relation without listening to anyone, paying for what they owed.

Ajoloko announced that the strike would not be called off until EKSUTH management and Ekiti Goverment took measures to guarantee their safety.

He lamented over the shortage of medical personnel in the hospital and called on the government to do the needful “without further waste of time”.

When contacted, the Spokesperson for the hospital, Mrs Rolake Adewumi, confirmed the incident.

She said that “management had briefed security agencies on what happened and would react fully, in not too distant time”. (NAN)

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