Crisis Rocks Enugu National Orthopaedic Hospital, As Resident Doctors Down Tool

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

ENUGU, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Crisis has erupted at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, (NOHE) Enugu, as resident doctors embarked on an indefinite strike over alleged discrimination, intimidation and oppression of its members by the management.

The aggrieved Doctors decried the non-challant attitude of the hospital’s authorities to the general welfare of staff.

The Association in a two-page letter titled “Commencement of Indefinite Strike Action” addressed to the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Cajetan Nwad and signed by its President, Dr. Ifeanyi Anikwe and Secretary, Dr. Ifeanyi Okorie, said they were compelled to withdraw their services from the hospital as a result of the failure of the hospital management to meet their five-point demand after several correspondence.

A copy of the letter which was made available to newsmen in Enugu Tuesday, accused Nwadinigwe of insensitivity to their welfare.

The resident doctors said the option of industrial action was taken as the medical director showed no human face to their grievances after their 21-day ultimatum expired.

They also frowned on the non-implementation of differential taxation against their members only in the hospital thereby extorting them in order to pay the outstanding debt owed the Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue.

The doctors equally flayed the non-remittance of their monthly pension deductions and accrued interest for more than two years, noting that the management had consistently failed to explain the whereabouts of the pension deduction despite several letters on the matter.

Another issue raised by the doctors, was the non-payment of promotion arrears to their members whom their promotion was delayed for “no obvious reason having met all the criteria for their promotion”.

Others include, the non-payment of updates sponsorship which are the pre-requisite for continued training and eligibility for exams for north colleges and improper placement of their members in the staff clinic were also unacceptable to the doctors.

The statement added: “we regret all inconveniences this action might cause to the public and our dear patients, as management should be held solely responsible for untoward effects.