By Thompson Yamput
Protesting Resident Doctors (ARDs) in Kogi on Friday called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and save Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja from decay and failing in saving lives.
Dr. Bauku Sola, the spokesperson of the aggrieved doctors of the hospital, told newsmen in Lokoja that the problems confronting the hospital deserved urgent intervention of Mr. President.
They have accused the CMD of alledged witch hunt, insubordination and carelessness toward workers welfare and patients wellbeing.
Ephemeralnews.com.ng reports that the aggrieved doctors filed readily filed out with placards of various inscriptions demanding the removal of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) for alleged incompetence and high handedness.
Some of the inscriptions read: “Dr Alabi Olatunde, honour health minister’s directive and reinstate Dr.Jimoh Umar”, “Enough is enough, reinstate our President,’ “Mr President, pls salvage FTHL from dying ” and “Pay our backlog of wages and allowances ‘
The resident doctors, who had staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday, unanimously declared a three (3)-day warning strike commencing at 08350a.m of Friday, Jan. 31.
Dr Sola said that FTH Lokoja presently has only 43 doctors from over 350 doctors it had in the past.
‘We are protesting today again to tell the wold that this hospital is dying. There are no doctors. Only 43 of us are left from the over 350 doctors we had before now.
“The ICU and X-ray departments are not functioning, thereby putting patients at risk. We lost a vibrant long serving attendant here due to sheer neglect and dearth of facilities.
“Since 2012 till date, no single doctor has been employed in this hospital. Many are leaving, yet no single advert had been published for employment of more doctors.
“These are issues, including poor welfare for workers that our president, Dr Jimoh Umar, has been fighting for which led to his unfortunate suspension and alledged termination of appointment by hospital’s management, ” he said.
He argued that the purported “termination of appointment” letter signed in proxy and issued to thei president. Dr Jimoh Umar by the management of FTH Lokoja, in spite the directive by the Permanent
Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health to reinstate him, dies not hold water.
According to him, the greatest surprise that the letter of termination was back-dated to take effect from Oct. 15, 2024 which happened to be the same day the Senior staff Disciplinary Committee had a meeting with Dr Jimoh Umar.
“We observed that this letter of termination of appointment was issued at a time when the then
Commissioner of Police , Kogi state command was in the process of resolving the dispute peacefully.
“We condemn with disdain, the action of the CMD FTHL Dr Olatunde Alabi and rejects in entirety the content of the letter of termination of appointment issued to the president of ARDFTHL, Dr Jimoh Umar, ” he said.
Sola said that the president Tinubu should intervene quickly since the hospital management has refused to listen to health minister on amicable resolve of the association’s President’s matter and addressing problems of the hospital.
Unfortunately, the CMD of the hospital waa reported to have travelled to Abuja.
The FTHL spokesperson, Mr Abdulsalam Abdullahi, refused to comment on the doctors protest, told newsmen that the CMD would surely address newsmen on the issues raised when he returns. (ephemeralnews.com.ng)
