Governor Rauf Aregbesola while speaking at the 75th birthday anniversary of the founding President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Hassan Sunmonu said despite efforts to persuade striking doctors in the state to resume work, they have stuck to their guns.
He dropped a hint that the doctors might be sacked on Monday. He said “To my dismay, they stuck to their guns. But you are either in or out. We have decided to use the civil service rule.
“The Head of Service will implement that as from Monday. Head of Service, it is over to you.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, Mrs. Omolara Ajayi while addressing journalists also appealed to the doctors to resume work in the interest of the masses.
She said “I want to appeal to them to resume in the interest of the masses, people who do not have an alternative. A life that is lost is lost forever.”
Although there are claims that the state hospitals are not deserted, the doctors who have been on strike since September 28 and despite the January 8 deadline to return to work are not willing to resume if their demands are not met.
In a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola explained that other medical workers are attending to patients in the state hospitals.
The statement read “The claim that government hospitals have been deserted is baseless and untrue as only doctors are on strike. Hospitals comprise not only doctors – who are on strike – but also nurses and other paramedics, who are not on strike.
“For instance, Hope Clinic (where people with retroviral diseases are being looked after) at our State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro Osogbo, is operating. Our antenatal clinics and infant welfare clinic are open and attending to patients.
“All paramedics are on the ground and I can confirm authoritatively that administrative employees report to work every day in all of our hospitals.
“Besides, the government has been negotiating with the striking doctors who have refused to shift ground and meet the government half way on the terms of agreement. Highly placed citizens of this state including elders and leaders of the medical profession, revered traditional rulers and senior people in government have met with the striking doctors but they remain recalcitrant.
“They are insisting on the payment of salaries before calling off their strike. This is the area of disagreement.”
Democratic Socialist Movement in a statement clearly stated that “If this threat is allowed to see the light of the day, it will worsen the already sick health sector.”
Medical care has always been an important aspect of people’s lives and with the absence of doctors in hospitals, patients are only receiving part medical services.
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