The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) on Friday began 5 days total strike.
This came following an assault on one of its members.
This development has been confirmed by the president of ARD-UITH chapter, Dr Mubaraq Ijaiya, in Ilorin while speaking to pressmen.
He revealed that the resident doctors also demand for the security support of security agents at all sensitive points within the hospital to secure their lives.
He narrated that relatives of a patient assaulted a resident doctor on emergency duty was assaulted by patient relatives while treating their patients.
The president also added that physical assault on residents became rampant in 2022 and justice was not done to several cases of assault that have occurred in the last few months within the hospital.
He also narrated that the index patient was a known patient in the hospital who’s being treated for a terminal illness.
“He was rushed to the Emergency Unit of the hospital on the Dec. 27 at about 7 a.m. He was promptly attended to and admitted for emergency management by the medical team on emergency duty.
“The necessary management plan was prescribed including some required investigations and his primary managing team was notified through a written consult and phone call,” he said.
He said the patient died early hours of Dec. 28, despite the efforts of the team of medical experts and managing the situation, while he also sympathized with the family of the patient on the loss.
The president also said it was necessary but posters and banners are available all round the medical facilities to sensitize patients and visitors on the need to stay away from any form of assault on medical workers.
“Security agents should ensure proper prosecution of the culprits to prevent further assault,” he said.
Report has it that the members of the association held placards with inscription such as: “#ARD says No to Violence”, “#Healthwokers lives matter”, and “#Protect us, as we protect you!”.
While reacting to the protest, the Head Corporate Affairs Unit of UITH, Mrs Elizabeth Ajiboye, thanked the resident doctors for comporting themselves in peaceful manner but condemned avoidable frictions between relations and medical workers.
She promised that the management would find lasting solution to the issue, including legal redress.
She said such assault in the past inflicted severe injuries on healthcare workers and that the management has henceforth declared a zero tolerance for any form of assault on healthcare workers from patients’ relations.
“Patients and their relatives are strongly advised to always channel their grievances through the SERVICOM Unit of the hospital rather than resort to verbal abuse and violence in seeking redress to observed lapses or ethical breaches on the part of members of staff of the hospital.
“We once again reiterate our commitment to the delivery of quality healthcare services to our patients,while we covet their unalloyed cooperation,” said spokesperson.
She also revealed that the management has released the dead body of Alhaji Solihu, whose 3 relations allegedly assaulted a doctor of the hospital.
She added that the management has reviewed the issue and out of good fate decided to release the corpse to the relations for burial.
“However, further investigations and possible prosecution of the arrested persons linked with the doctor’s assault would continue to its logical end,” she assured.