Doctors strike: Patients lament as Ondo hospitals scale down services

Gov Aiyedatiwa

Medical services have been scaled down across government-owned hospitals in Ondo State as doctors under the National Association of Government General and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) embarked on a three-day warning strike.

The action, which began on Monday, follows what the doctors described as the government’s gross neglect of the health sector and the welfare of medical practitioners under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

In a joint statement issued in Akure, the State Chairman of NAGGMDP, Dr. Richard Obe, and Secretary, Dr. Adekunle Owolabi, decried the acute shortage of medical personnel, revealing that some government hospitals are being run by only one doctor per local government.

The strike has disrupted healthcare delivery across the state, leaving many patients unable to access medical attention.

A visit by The Nation to several government health facilities, including the University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital, Akure complex, showed limited activity as the impact of the industrial action continues to bite.During the visit, it was observed how the health workers in the hospital were managing the situation to avoid the total collapse of the state health sector.

During the visit, it was observed how the health workers in the hospital were managing the situation to avoid the total collapse of the state health sector.

A few number of the patients were also turned back on arrival, while those with emergency cases were being attended to before they were referred to either private or federal government health centres within the state.

Lamenting over how the strike has been crippling medical activities at the hospital, one of the patients, Evelyn Jadesola, said medical attention has been slow since the beginning of the industrial action.

Mrs Jadesola expressed frustration and disappointment over the ongoing warning strike, stating that she could not receive proper medical attention due to the reluctance of a few doctors available at work.