Strike paralyses Medical activities in Kogi State Specialist Hospital Lokoja

Medical activities have been put to a hold at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH) on Tuesday following the industrial action embarked upon by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and the Joint Action Committee (JAC).

The strike according to a source in the union became necessary following the failure on the part of the Kogi State Government to pay resident doctors their salaries and arrears.

" It is quite unfortunate we are experiencing this situation in the health sector today. All our demands to the state governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello have been swept under the carpet.

" Many of our colleagues have not been paid for several months. We find it difficult to come to the hospital and treat sick patient because we are psychological and morally down.

"Me that am speaking to you today, I could no longer fuel my car. I do patronize commercial  vehicle to work. For how long are we going to continue with this hardship.

" I wont be  surprise if our dear governor comes out to categorise us as 'Political Doctors' because of this strike just the way he called striking civil servants in the state as Political Civil Servants.

" Our demands is simple. He should pay us our salaries and arrears and see if we wont return back to the hospital. Just the other day, a colleague of mine borrowed N100naira so that she could come to work. After closing hour, she was looking for who to give her transport fear. Can you imagine the condition we doctors have now found our self in Kogi State? The source explained.

Meanwhile, when our correspondent entered the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Lokoja to see for him self the level of compliance in the strike action, it was deduced that the hospital was almost deserted.

Right from the gate, the security officer on duty earlier denied our reporter from entering the hospital saying " they are on strike" but later granted him access to see for him self.

The usual car park in the hospital premises was almost empty with few cars.

In a visit to some of the wards such as the accident and emergency wards, Male wards, children wards, few patients were spotted as no doctor were  on ground to attend to them.

The strike has forced many sick patient to be withdrawn from the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Lokoja  and transferred to other private hospital within the state capital.

Reporting

John Sunday