By Dennis Agbo

RESIDENT Doctors of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, ESUTH-TH, on Wednesday, suspended its five days warning strike that commenced last Saturday.

The doctors said their resolution to suspend the strike was because of the perceived commitment of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Enugu state, Dr Festus Uzor who brokered negation between the doctors and officials of Enugu state government.

President of the ARD ESUT-TH, Dr Chima Edoga and Secretary, Dr Chukwunonso  Ofonere in a notice of suspension of the warning strike stressed that  the Chief of Staff of Enugu State demonstrated the willingness and commitment of the Enugu State Government to meet their legitimate demands, hence the congress requested for suspension of its strike action.

The doctors however insisted on the demand for the government to implement the Corrected Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) with consequential minimum wage adjustments for doctors working in the Parklane Teaching hospital, as obtainable in all Federal Tertiary Health Institutions (FTHIs) and State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHIs) in Nigeria.

Edoga who confirmed to vanguard that doctors were already back to their duty posts by Wednesday maintained that there is disparity in the entry point, advancement/skipping and salary scale  between the doctors in ESUT-TH Parklane and those in other Tertiary Health Institutions implementing the Corrected CONMESS.

He also disclosed that some of the Resident Doctors were being owed 5-months salary arrears as a result of a former strike action embarked upon in 2011.

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Edoga said that they suspended the strike in acceptance of the olive branch handed by the Enugu State Government, but advised that the state government should within the next 21 days, commence negotiations and implementation of the Corrected CONMESS with entry point, skipping, and consequential minimum wage adjustments as obtainable in all Federal Tertiary Health Institution (FTHIs) and State Tertiary Institution (STHIs) in Nigeria, effective from April 2019.

The doctors also demanded that the state government should pay the 5-months salary arrears being owed their members since 2011 should.

“The Congress strongly believes that it is the good intention of Enugu State Government to finally end these perennial salary issues for doctors in ESUT-TH Parklane, thereby reversing the mass exodus of doctors from ESUT-TH Parklane, and positioning the hospital, as a center of excellence in health care delivery,” Edoga said.

Vanguard