The Association of Resident Doctors at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Monday, began a five-day warning strike to protest the non-payment of two months salary arrears.
In the verified Twitter handle of ARD UCH Ibadan, stated its grouces as , “Failure to capture our members on IPPS, two month salary arrears of House officers and two month salary arrears of Resident Doctors and Medical Officers”.
The association said 370 doctors in the hospital had not been paid their salary for two months.
The President of the Resident Doctors in UCH, Dr. Zakariyah Temitope Hussain, said it has been a tough experience for doctors working without pay.
Highlighting some of the demands of the doctors, Hussain said “Some of our doctors have not been paid salaries for January and February 2021.
“Also, about 230 of our members have not been captured on the Federal Government Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, and they have been waiting to be captured for over a year now. This means that their salary becomes irregular.
“House Officers are owed two months salary arrears, some resident doctors and medical officers are being owed two months salary arrears, as well.
“It has been tough. You know the kind of work we do; you need a lot of energy to do this work, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Just imagine someone not been paid under these circumstances, he said.
The ARD president said the warning strike will end at 8 am on Saturday, March 20.
“Once the warning strike ends, we will call our members to reveal whatever progress we have made, if any but for now, emergency services are open for patients,” he said.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors had last week suspended its plan to go on strike over unresolved issues with the Federal Government.
The association had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to implement agreements reached with the association in 2020.
NARD President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, said the association shelved the planned strike because the government has commenced payment to House Officers and some resident doctors on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform for over three months.
“With the intervention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila who set up a committee chaired by the Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, doctors who are owed salaries are being paid.
“So, we are shelving the strike for now. Already, 19 centres that have submitted their list have been paid and hopefully today (Friday), the other centres will be paid,” Okhuaihesuyi said.
