The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has criticised the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the prolonged strike by resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
The organisation said the strike, which has lasted for more than 30 days, was taking a toll on healthcare delivery and exposing what it described as the government’s failure to adequately address the welfare concerns of medical personnel in the state.
The Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Bisi Oladele, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday.
The organisation also expressed concern over the 21-day warning strike issued by the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State over unresolved issues bordering on welfare, remuneration and conditions of service.
According to the group, the situation was worrisome because medical workers were being forced to embark on industrial action over issues relating to allowances, residency training funds and salary arrears.
It said the resident doctors were demanding the payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and six months’ Minimum Wage arrears, among other welfare-related issues.
The organisation said the prolonged strike had negatively affected medical services at the teaching hospital, with patients who could not afford private healthcare allegedly left with the option of waiting for services to resume or seeking alternative treatment.
“The SSACO is concerned about Governor Seyi Makinde’s failure to sit with the striking resident doctors and find a lasting solution to their demands.
“As the strike prolongs, the resident doctors feel maltreated, while the masses bear the brunt of government’s insensitivity.
“Healthcare delivery is a critical service which serious administrations treat with urgency and with the importance it deserves. With this prolonged strike, our resident doctors are feeling maltreated while the masses suffer.
“The medical and dental officers across state hospitals have also served notice of a warning strike. This combination is a signal of government failure in the health sector. It is unacceptable in our dear state,” the statement read.
The group maintained that the situation could worsen if the grievances of health workers were not urgently addressed, warning that further disruption of services could have serious consequences for patients dependent on public hospitals for affordable and specialised treatment.
It challenged the state government to engage the striking doctors and resolve the outstanding issues, accusing the administration of treating their complaints with insufficient urgency.
The organisation further said healthcare would occupy a priority position in Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda, promising improved welfare and working conditions for health workers.
“Health workers and other civil servants will not be denied their entitlements. They will enjoy training and retraining, and they will have facilities to work with,” it said.
