Osun doctors protest against half salaries

By Ola Ajayi, with Agency Reports

Osogbo—Some  doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Osun State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo against continued payment of half of their salaries by the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the doctors were dressed in their laboratory coats and branded shirts during the protest.

They reportedly marched from the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, LAUTECH, Complex, Osogbo through the popular Olaiya Junction to other major streets in the state capital.

The doctors carried  placards of various inscriptions while singing anti-government songs.

Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke, the state NMA chairman, told newsmen during the protest that there were neither drugs nor equipment in any of the state government hospitals.

Olajumoke said that this was contrary to the state government’s claims that it had spent N10 billion to improve the sector.

He said that many sick people lose their lives in the state due to non-availability of drugs and modern equipment for doctors to work with in the hospitals.

Olajumoke said that the doctors might consider strike as the last option, if the protest failed to achieve the desired result.

LAUTECH doctors, others resign in droves

Meantime, unresolved industrial crisis at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso has taken its toll on the institution as medical practitioners in the teaching hospital  have left its employ in droves in the last five months.

According to the hospital’s branch Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria, Dr. Afolabi Salawu, 100 nurses, 20 consultant staff, 10 laboratory scientists, five Physiotherapists, six Pharmacists as well as many resident doctors and ward orderlies have called it quit with the institution.

He said in spite of the fact that the doctors were receiving half salaries, government was still deducting full tax from what he described as “amputated salaries.”

Olajumoke appealed to the state government to improve facilities in the hospitals and pay full salaries to the doctors.

In an interview, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Kusamotu, appealed to the protesting doctors to be patient with the state government.

Kusamotu said though, there was need for proactive intervention in the sector, the state government needed little more time for the newly constituted cabinet to get its feet firmly on ground.

He said that the management and distribution of drugs, which was hitherto supervised by the local governments, would henceforth be handled by the state Ministry of Health for efficient management.

He gave the hint on behalf of all the labour unions in LTH Ogbomosho while speaking with newsmen yesterday in Ogbomoso, he said non payment of salary by the Oyo state government to all categories of workers in the health institution had thrown them into serious problems.

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