Seven months salary arrears: Ondo resident doctors begin 14-day warning strike

Association of Resident Doctors(ARD) at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State, on Tuesday commenced a 14-day warning strike.

The striking doctors cited the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to their new members as some of their grievances.

Members of the association, who staged a peaceful protest at the hospital premises, vowed to halt activities until their concerns are addressed by the government.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting doctors, Dr John Matthew, the President of UNIMEDTH ARD, lamented that new members who recently joined the teaching hospital have yet to receive their salaries.

Matthew explained that part of the reasons for the warning strike include non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite assurances from the state government to settle two months, and shortage of staff resulting from the resignation of doctors from the hospital.

The leader of the striking doctors said that presently there were only 26 members of ARD in the hospital, as against 150 a few months ago.

“We demand full payment of the arrears of salaries owed to our members and payment of the February 2024 palliative to our house officers.

“Management should pay the February hazard allowance to our members and urgently address the severe clinical manpower shortage in the institution.

“Our members work every day. There are no staff due to Japa syndrome,” he told Daily Post.