CMD Urges Striking Resident Doctors To Resume Work

The Chief Medical Director
(CMD), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Dr Thomas Agan, has appealed to striking resident doctors to resume work in the interest of patients.
Agan made the call in Calabar while addressing journalists on the current strike by the resident doctors of the institution.
He blamed the situation on the paucity of funds occasioned by dwindling federal allocation to the hospital, as well as the change of power at the federal level.
“Change of government has slowed down activities; releases has not been regular and this has affected our activities,’’ he said.
The doctors had on Thursday (July 3) embarked on indefinite strike to press home their demands for improved working conditions in the hospital as well as improved facilities.
Agan said that the demands include sponsorship arrears; relativity salary areas for January and February; stepping up of grading of doctors and improvement on the state of facilities in the hospital.
He said that the management has done everything possible to let the doctors realise that the prevailing situation was not caused by the hospital management.
Agan stated that if they had the money, management would have not allowed the situation to degenerate into embarking on strike.
“The situation is just the way you see it, it does not mean that management is insensitive,’’ he said.
He assured the patients in the hospital and the general public that even though the resident doctors were on strike, consultant doctors are working to cover the gap created by the strike.
“This management will do everything possible to ensure that the system works.
“Amidst the dwindling resources from the Federal Government, we still try our best by keeping the hospital going.
“That is why we are appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to help in the running of the hospital,’’ Agan said.
The CMD also called for security awareness by all stakeholders in the hospital, saying that security was the responsibility of everybody.