Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo town have commenced an indefinite strike, citing poor working conditions and unresolved grievances.
The strike follows a protest on Monday, where the doctor’s expressed frustration over issues such as illegal salary deductions, excessive taxation, and the non-payment of hazard allowances.
Dr. Olaogbe Kehinde, President of UNIMEDTH ARD, stated that the workload on the remaining doctors has become overwhelming due to mass resignations and unnotified departures caused by poor working conditions. Despite repeated appeals, hospital management has failed to address their demands.
“This decision to go on strike was difficult, but the failure to resolve critical issues affecting our members, infrastructure, and the quality of healthcare delivery left us with no choice,” Dr. Olaogbe said. He added that the doctors could no longer work under conditions that jeopardize their well-being and compromise patient care.
The doctors are urging the state government to:
- Resolve salary irregularities and discrepancies.
- Implement the new minimum wage scale.
- Ensure salary parity with other tertiary hospitals as mandated by the teaching hospital constitution.
- Improve working conditions across the hospital’s three centers in the state.
The immediate past ARD President, Dr. John Matthew, highlighted a significant disparity between the salaries of doctors in Ondo State and those in neighboring states. “Many doctors have left for states offering better welfare packages. Illegal salary deductions, exorbitant taxes, and poor infrastructure, including the hospital being disconnected from the national grid, are worsening the situation,” Dr. Matthew said.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Gbala Michael, has appealed to the striking doctors for more time to address their grievances.
The doctors expressed regret for the inconvenience the strike may cause to patients and the public but emphasized that their demands must be met to prevent further erosion of the healthcare system in the state.
