By Chioma Obinna

Lagos—Medical doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday dismissed reports that doctors at the hospital were on strike, describing as a false.”

The medical doctors under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, LUTH branch, in a statement tagged: “Setting the Records Straight,” signed by its president, Dr. Moronkola Ayinde Ramon- Kolade stated that doctors in LUTH and other hospitals across the nation were on their duty post and taking calls.

Ramon-Kolade, who described the reports as misinformation, misrepresentation and impersonation said the reports were untrue.

“To set the record straight, doctors in LUTH, Lagos state hospitals and nationwide are not on strike. We are always at our duty post and have been taking our calls.”

He explained that since the commencement of the ongoing Joint Health Sector Strike, JOHESU, the power supply has become more unreliable; consumables and equipment locked away by the striking workers but they have been able to keep the hospitals running to the best of their ability.

Ramon – Kolade further revealed that the ongoing strike of health workers have doubled their responsibilities in the hospital.

In another development, medical doctors under the employ of the Lagos State Government yesterday issued a 21–Day ultimatum to the state government, threatening to withdraw their services at the expiration of the period should the government fails to meet their demands.

A press statement jointly signed by the State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Tope Ojo and Secretary, Dr. Saheed Babatunde, said the decision was reached at the State NMA’s Emergency General Meeting in Lagos.

The doctors under the auspices of Medical Guild also threatened to mobilise members of the state NMA to commence withdrawal of service in all institutions in the state if all issues remain unresolved after one week of expiration of the Guild’s ultimatum.

In a 7- points demand, the NMA emergency meeting noted that continued withhold of the salaries of doctors in the employment of Lagos State in April and May 2012, August and September 2014.

The meeting also lamented the casualisation of doctors in the last two years.

In another development, medical doctors under the employ of the Lagos State Government yesterday issued a 21 –Day ultimatum to the state government, threatening to withdraw their services at the expiration of the period should the government fails to meet their demands.

A press statement jointly signed by the State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Tope Ojo and Secretary, Dr. Saheed Babatunde, said the decision was reached at the State NMA’s Emergency General Meeting in Lagos.

The doctors under the auspices of Medical Guild also threatened to mobilise members of the state NMA to commence withdrawal of service in all institutions in the state if all issues remain unresolved after one week of expiration of the Guild’s ultimatum.

In a 7- points demand, the NMA emergency meeting noted that continued withhold of the salaries of doctors in the employment of Lagos State in April and May 2012, August and September 2014.

The meeting also lamented the casualisation of doctors in the last two years.

“For example, I am a senior registrar in cardiology unit and I know that the consultants and residents in the unit attend to over 50 patients during our clinics which almost equal the number we see usually. This is applicable to other units in LUTH. The dental clinics and the children emergency room (CHER) are running almost to full capacity.

These are verifiable facts. Despite the foregoing, it is ironic that striking JOHESU workers have been receiving incentives to continue their strike because they were paid December salaries well ahead of Christmas while doctors in LUTH have not been paid.

Perhaps, more perplexing is the fact that doctors in UCH have not received November and December salaries. This unpalatable scenario is what is happening in other centres in the country. The plight of doctors in Lagos state is more worrisome as they, besides other forms of injustice, some have not been paid for August and September,” he added.