Medical services at the Federal University of Health Sciences (FUHSO) Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, Benue State, have been disrupted as resident doctors and consultants embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday over non-payment of eight months’ salary arrears.
The doctors carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Federal Government pay us our arrears” and “We are human beings,” among others, as they marched along the Federal Road, Otukpo, singing solidarity songs.
Speaking to newsmen, one of the protesters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they embarked on the peaceful protest as a last resort after all efforts to get the relevant authorities to pay the money failed. “We will continue the protest and will end it at the Och’Idoma Palace. Some of the arrears are as far back as 2023,” he added.
Reacting to the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Eric Amodu, criticized the doctors for their action, emphasizing that by embarking on a strike, they have violated the oath of their profession. According to him, they should have exercised patience since the current leadership of the hospital under Professor Teddy Agida is not relenting in its efforts to address the problems of the institution.
As a result of the strike, many patients have turned to private hospitals in the area for medical assistance. A patient in one of the private hospitals in Otukpo, who wished to remain anonymous, told our reporter on Wednesday that he left the teaching hospital due to the strike. He accused the doctors of insensitivity to the plights of patients, alleging that most of the private hospitals in the town are owned by them.
According to him, “The teaching hospital is too young to be facing these troubles.”
Meanwhile, the Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Teddy Agida, has appealed for calm, stressing that dialogue remains the best option in addressing grievances.
It was gathered that since the establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, and its teaching hospital, all has not been well with the two institutions, occasioned by alleged corruption, mismanagement, and negligence by their past leadership, which the current regime is said to be addressing.
