Starting a one-week warning strike, resident doctors at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, are addressing the alleged insensitivity of the Delta State Government towards issues impacting optimal patient care and resident doctors’ training.
The doctors have highlighted concerns such as the worsening infrastructure and the presence of outdated and malfunctioning equipment necessary for diagnosing and treating various medical conditions.
A joint statement by Dr Harrison Adja (President), Dr Maurice Oghenekaro (General Secretary), and Dr Erhire Clinton Umukoro (Public Relations Officer) revealed that the decision to strike was made by the ARD DELSUTH Congress. The industrial action started at 8 am on Friday, April 26, 2024.
The association pointed out, “Despite recent renovations, the hospital’s ongoing deterioration is evident. Equipment like the elevator, plumbing, fixtures, air conditioning units, and fans continue to be problematic, contributing to a distressing work environment within the hospital.”
Outdated equipment cited includes the CT scan machine, MRI scan machine, mammography machine, endoscopy machine, orthopaedic equipment, anaesthetic machine, ventilators, multiparameter monitors, and the electroencephalography machine, among others.
Other reasons for the strike include insufficient power supply, rising electricity costs supplied by BEDC to the hospital, and inadequate financial backing from the state government, all of which pose significant challenges for the doctors.
Despite their grievances, the DELSUTH resident doctors expressed their commitment to delivering top-notch patient care and indicated their willingness to make sacrifices if needed.
Concluding the statement, they emphasized the importance of urging all relevant parties to compel the state government to adequately fund the primary referral center in Delta State.