CHEI........Mass resignation by doctors hits Ojukwu varsity hospital

Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Awka has revealed that 11 days into the commencement of a planned industrial action, medical Doctors have started resigning from the hospital in droves.

The chairman of MDCAN, at the hospital, Dr Chukwudi Okani, who revealed this to journalists called on Anambra State government to quickly address their demand for improved salaries and working conditions to halt the further withdrawal of services by doctors.
Okani told newsmen in Awka on Wednesday that, “Sadly, some of our members have left and we fear some others are on the line, as I speak about 35 Resident Doctors and 10 Consultants have left the hospital to other places in the last two years.
“We are not happy with the development in the hospital, the strike is still on, the consultants who own the patients are not working, nothing can be said to be going on in this teaching hospital.

“We have not heard anything concrete as regards our demands, all we have heard are rumours but we have not seen any change in our salaries.

“There is a need for urgent action to forestall a system breakdown in the hospital, we need these trained men to man the machines because it is hard to train a doctor more so, a consultant,” he said.
Okani said their members in the hospital were currently on an indefinite strike to press for promotions as against seven years stagnation, payment of the minimum of 70 per cent of CONMESS, and improvement in the working conditions in the hospital among others.
Reacting to the claims, Dr Vincent Okpala, Commissioner for Health in Anambra told newsmen that the state government was working hard to ensure that there were no further loss of experienced manpower at COOUTH.
“The poor working condition is being addressed, this will help retain the doctors that we have, that is what the Governor Willie Obiano administration is working to achieve.
“Going forward I believe we will see a reversal of what led to the strike and where doctors will like to render their professional services in COOUTH.