Labour unions in the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Ado-Ekiti, have declared an emergency strike following an attack by suspected hoodlums who invaded the medical facility.
This action has paralysed activities in the hospital.
Some suspected hoodlums invaded the hospital on Monday according to a report and attacked some doctors.
The hoodlums were said to have destroyed some facilities at the hospital and stole a corpse suspected to be the father of one of the hoodlums.
The situation prompted the Association of Resident Doctors, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, to direct its members to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect.
In a letter signed by the President of the Association, Dr Famous Adeyemi and addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Kayode Olabanji, the union said the union assaulted some members of the association.
The letter read, “The above-named association writes to notify you of the decision of the emergency congress held today to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect.
“This follows the actions of hoodlums who stormed the accident and emergency unit of the hospital in the early hours of today and assaulted some members of the association, destroyed several hospital properties and stole a corpse during the attack.
“This attack is happening at a time when our members are showing understanding with the state government on the non-implementation of our demands on improved welfare vis-a-vis being faced with work overload and exhaustion, which is as a result of poor remuneration, pay disparity, and the attending effect of local brain drain.
“We wish to use this opportunity to call on the management of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice for their actions.
“We also implore the state government to, as a matter of urgency, attend to our pending demands, which border on improving the welfare of our members.
“We implore the management and the government to provide a lasting solution to these incessant assaults on our members and ensure safety when they are at their duty post.
“We call on the state assembly to enact a law to criminalise assault on health workers in Ekiti State. The strike will not be called off until our demands are met.”
The spokesperson of the University Teaching Hospital, Rolake Adewumi, while confirming the incident, said four armed additional policemen have been drafted to ensure security at the hospital.
She disclosed further that a manhunt has been launched by the state police commissioner on the perpetrators with a vow to ensure that they are arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
Also, the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Professor Kayode Olabanji, disclosed that the management will not tolerate any act of violence or mayhem being unleashed on members of staff of the hospital.
He added that the management and the police had met with the State Chairman of the Road Transport Employer Association of Nigeria, Mr Sunday Adeola and mandated him to produce the ring leader because the management heard that the person involved is a member of the association.
The CMD explained further that the person who was involved in a recent similar occurrence at the Neo-Natal ward will face the wrath of the law as the case is already in court and the culprit is being prosecuted.
Prof Olabanji, therefore, appealed to the members of staff to calm down as steps are in the right direction to ensure that such an incident does not occur again, saying the management will not tolerate any act of molestation of its staff while discharging their duties.
