Yemisi Izuora
Doctors at the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, have moved to ensure government pay their outstanding salaries.
Mounting pressures through two of its medical unions the Doctors on Tuesday called on the management of the institution to pay their outstanding three months salaries.
The associations are Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD).
Dr Babatunde Bamigboye, the Chairman, MDCAN LUTH Chapter, addressing newsmen at a joint news conference in Lagos, said that salaries of over 600 doctors were being withheld since Aug. 20.
Bamigboye said that other categories of workers in the hospital had been paid up to date.
“We demand an explanation for the discriminatory payment from the management of the hospital, the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Finance.
“The frequency of industrial actions among doctors in the hospital has drastically reduced, because of the conscious effort being put in place by the body of doctors.
“Being mindful of the collateral damages that comes with such action, but with this current situation, what then is expected of a young House Officers who by the end of this month will be owed three months salaries.
“Also, the resident doctors have families that rely on them for their welfare, while others have examinations to finance,” he said.
Also, Dr Olawale Oba, the President, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH, said that the doctors had decided at an emergency to issue ultimatum to the management of the hospital to pay.
Oba said that the association issued the ultimatum to the management starting from Tuesday to heed to the complaints of the doctors.
Also, Dr Akinkunmi Afolabi, the South-West National Chairman, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), said that national body was fully involved in the issue and would give the doctors full support in whatever action.
“We will support the association in whatever action it decided to take in order to get the management to attend to their plights.
“Though, the next action is to embark on industrial action, but the association will do everything to ensure it forestalls it,” Afolabi said.