Doctors React As Patient’s Relative Assault Colleague

 Management of University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo, has condemned an alleged assault on one of its doctors by the relative of a patient.

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr Oluwole Ige, said this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Ondo town.

Ige, however, condemned the decision by the hospital’s resident doctors to embark on a two-day warning strike over the incident.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the resident doctors had, on Wednesday, proceeded on a 48- hours warning strike to protest the attack on a colleague on Tuesday by relative of a patient.

NAN also reports the relative of the patient had been arrested by Amotekun operatives.

The CMD wondered why the doctors could still go on strike when the culprit had been arrested by the Amotekun operatives who came to salvage the situation.

“It is wrong for the relative of any patient to attack any health worker. It is not only barbaric, but senseless.

“The man, who assaulted the doctor, had been arrested by Amotekun operatives and will be charged to court any moment from now.

“But the management is not pleased with the decision of the doctors to go on a warning strike.

“Their decision is wrong and not good for the health sector. The management is not happy with the development,” he said.

Ige also noted that the hospital was under-staffed, stating, however, the situation was not peculiar to the state observing that the assault by the patient’s relative should not have provoked the doctors to down tools.

According to him, Nigeria is currently battling with mass exodus of health workers, with the state not an exception.

“The problem of under-staffing is not peculiar to Ondo State, and it is not among the doctor cadre alone.

“It is almost approaching a pandemic magnitude in Nigeria. But, we are slightly more affected because we have a peculiar challenge that is being addressed.

“At least, the salary in the last three months has been 100 per cent and regular. Every day, there are adverts for urgent employment of medical officers and nurses.

“We have more than 100 vacancies which we have not gotten professionals to fill,” he said.

The CMD expressed the regret that lots of young doctors and nurses were moving out of the facilities and out of the country.

“Someone said those who remain are likely those who have failed in their tries and are frustrated.

“That does not, however, mean that at the slightest opportunity, the system should be disrupted.

“Government cannot stop the brain drain. Humans will move across work and geography, and civilisation has been further enhanced out of this phenomenon.

“But, as a society, we must make the best of what we have, and we can,” he said.

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