Resident Doctors at Bayelsa government owned
Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, have yet to resume
from the indefinite strike called off on Sunday by the national body.
The leadership of National Association of
Resident Doctors (NARD) had on Sunday directed its members across the country
to return to work as the Federal Government said it has cleared outstanding
hazard allowances, amongst others.
NDUTH hosts the 100 bed capacity COVID-19
isolation centre located at the outskirts of Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.
The rising spread of confirmed cases to 169
from 130 in Bayelsa with less than 200 bed isolation capacity has raised
concerns of an impending crisis in the coming days.
Dr Oru Oru Inetsol, President of NDUTH chapter of
Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), said in a telephone interview on Monday
that members of the association were still on strike.
“We cannot resume work yet like our
counterparts in Federal Government establishments who are being paid the
promised hazard allowances, but the same cannot be said for us at the state
level.
“As we speak, nothing has been done about our
own at NDUTH and that is why we cannot return to work, the strike therefore
continues,” Inestol said.
However, at the Federal Medical Centre,
Yenagoa some Resident Doctors were seen at their duty posts attending to
patients’ haven complied with the directive on the nationwide strike
suspension.
Dr Divine Irole, President of ARD in the
hospital said on Monday that the doctors have returned to work as directed.
She however said that her members were still
to be paid the hazard allowances as announced and were still awaiting its
implementation.
The hospital premises was scanty as few
patients were seen around.
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