By CHIDINMA EWUNONU-ALUKO

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan,

Says its members are not part of the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. working condition declared by the hospital’s Joint Action Committee (JAC).

The association made the announcement on Thursday in a statement signed by its President, Dr John Oladapo, the General Secretary, Dr Gboyega Ajibola

And other members of the executive.

The statement noted that the institution’s ARD members are at their duty posts, providing essential care and services to those in need.

It recalled that the Joint Action Committee (JAC), an umbrella body of all unions in the hospital, had on Tuesday, April 2, issued a notice that staff would only work between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. due to power outage.

The committee stated that Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) had disconnected power supply to UCH due to what it called “accumulated bill indebtedness.”

The JAC Chairman, Oludayo Olabampe, said that the workers had been working without electricity since March 19 and could not continue like that.

The resident doctors, however, said “JAC is a coalition of all hospital unions except the ARD and Medical and the Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN).

“Our attention has been drawn to some publications that UCH doctors have suspended night shift, begin strike on Tuesday. That is not accurate.

“There were reports that as a result of power outage, patients’ care is hampered, healthcare delivery became suboptimal, with increased hazard to health workers.

“Against the backdrop of these recent events, JAC issued the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. work directive.

“ARD is in solidarity with all health workers concerning the sub-par working conditions.

“However, it is important to let the public know that UCH resident doctors are at their duty posts, without any working time condition.” (NAN)