More patients leave public hospitals as doctors’ strike continues

Patients on admission in government hospitals in Abia State are reportedly leaving in droves to the mission and private hospitals as members of the Association of Resident Medical Doctors (ARMD) continue to stay away from work.

Our correspondent gathered some of the patients with serious ailments at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) were forced to seek help elsewhere.

Some personnel of ABSUTH, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said most of the patients at the hospitals are those who could not afford the payment of private hospital medical bills.

“Resident doctors are like foot soldiers. They are the people who go onward round to examine the patients on admission before the consultants can come in if the need be.

“But since the strike began, the doctors are no longer going forward round. Patients are no longer being attended to. They are leaving in their numbers for private hospitals as a result of the strike,” one of them said

A member of ARMD, who also craved anonymity, said they can only call off the strike as long as the government meets their demands. Nation