FMC Jalingo mobilises 14 consultants, 10 NYSC doctors to cushion strike effect
NAN-H-67
Strike
Jalingo, Sept. 6, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, has mobilised 14 consultants, 10 NYSC doctors and house officers to cushion the effect of the strike by resident doctors in the hospital.
Addressing journalists at the centre in Jalingo, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Wiza Inusa, said on Wednesday that the strike by the resident doctors had led to patients waiting slightly longer before consultation with doctors.
The CMD, however, expressed optimism that the non resident doctors would provide reasonable services to the patients within the period of strike.
Inusa called on the resident doctors, who constituted 25 per cent of the hospital’s workforce, to continue negotiations with the Federal Government to avoid putting the lives of patients at risk.
When contacted, the President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Taraba Chapter, Dr Kefas Thomas, said his members had fully complied with the directive of its national body.
He said that the chapter commenced the strike at 8.00a.m on Wednesday, following the adoption of NARD’s communiqué and directive at an emergency congress it held on Tuesday in Jalingo.
Thomas listed the demands of the body to include payment of 29months salary arrears, proper placement on grade levels and addressing short falls in payment of resident doctors’ salaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reporter, who visited the GOPD and maternity wards of the hospital, observed that routine medical activities were going on as usual.(NAN)
NB/AOS/AFA
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Felix Ajide