The Association of Resident
Doctors at the Lagos University
Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, on
Tuesday staged a peaceful
protest over the non-payment
of their outstanding seven
months salaries.
The doctors, who were dressed
in their medical kits, went
round the hospital complex
chanting various anti-
management songs.
They also displayed placards
with various inscriptions,
including “Many Doctors are
still being Owed Seven Months
Salary; LUTH Management,
Ministry of Health, Accountant-
General of the Federation and
Budget Office Enough is
Enough”.
“No Respite yet on Poor Water
and Power Supply; Inadequate
Materials and Consumables;
Non-payment of our December
Salary, and Stagnation of Many
Doctors for Years at same
Salary Grade Level”.
The President of the
association, Ramon Moronkola,
said the protest was to press
for the payment of salaries of
700 resident doctors in the
hospital.
Mr. Moronkola said that
resident doctors who were
being owed included registrars,
senior registrars and house
officers of the hospital.
“This protest is to register our
displeasure over the non-
payment of our seven months’
salary since July, 2014 till date.
“Depending on our different
cadres, some have not been
paid December salary; the issue
of stagnation of salary grade
level and non-payment of three
months pension refund.
“The poor working conditions in
LUTH such as epileptic power
supply and lack of water supply
are not helping our training.
“We have had meetings with
the management but nothing is
being done to address these
issues.
“We had the worst Christmas
and New Year celebrations
because we were not paid and
yet, we have been patient and
diligent at our work”, he said.
Mr. Moronkola, however, urged
the Federal Ministry of Health,
the Accountant-General of the
Federation, Budget Office and
the LUTH management to do
the needful and alleviate the
sufferings of doctors.
“We are not on strike, we are
not interested in punishing our
patients, this is just a peaceful
protest to register our
grievances and fight for our
rights.
“We also want Nigerians to be
aware of our plight and help us
to appeal to the relevant
authorities to do the needful by
addressing our demands”, he
said.
In his reaction, Chris Bode, the
acting Chief Medical Director of
LUTH, said that a hitch in the
government’s payment system
was responsible for the
development.
“There was a problem with the
government’s payment system
and lots of doctors, not just
resident doctors in LUTH were
affected and it is being
rectified”, Mr. Bode said.
He said that a meeting was held
recently in Abuja over the
problems, urging the doctors to
be patient as they would be
paid soon.
“The resident doctors should
also focus on their residency
training programme and not
turn it into a salary earning
venture.
“We don’t pay salaries but the
management is doing all it can
to assist the government and
solve these problems”, he said.
Doctors at the Lagos University
Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, on
Tuesday staged a peaceful
protest over the non-payment
of their outstanding seven
months salaries.
The doctors, who were dressed
in their medical kits, went
round the hospital complex
chanting various anti-
management songs.
They also displayed placards
with various inscriptions,
including “Many Doctors are
still being Owed Seven Months
Salary; LUTH Management,
Ministry of Health, Accountant-
General of the Federation and
Budget Office Enough is
Enough”.
“No Respite yet on Poor Water
and Power Supply; Inadequate
Materials and Consumables;
Non-payment of our December
Salary, and Stagnation of Many
Doctors for Years at same
Salary Grade Level”.
The President of the
association, Ramon Moronkola,
said the protest was to press
for the payment of salaries of
700 resident doctors in the
hospital.
Mr. Moronkola said that
resident doctors who were
being owed included registrars,
senior registrars and house
officers of the hospital.
“This protest is to register our
displeasure over the non-
payment of our seven months’
salary since July, 2014 till date.
“Depending on our different
cadres, some have not been
paid December salary; the issue
of stagnation of salary grade
level and non-payment of three
months pension refund.
“The poor working conditions in
LUTH such as epileptic power
supply and lack of water supply
are not helping our training.
“We have had meetings with
the management but nothing is
being done to address these
issues.
“We had the worst Christmas
and New Year celebrations
because we were not paid and
yet, we have been patient and
diligent at our work”, he said.
Mr. Moronkola, however, urged
the Federal Ministry of Health,
the Accountant-General of the
Federation, Budget Office and
the LUTH management to do
the needful and alleviate the
sufferings of doctors.
“We are not on strike, we are
not interested in punishing our
patients, this is just a peaceful
protest to register our
grievances and fight for our
rights.
“We also want Nigerians to be
aware of our plight and help us
to appeal to the relevant
authorities to do the needful by
addressing our demands”, he
said.
In his reaction, Chris Bode, the
acting Chief Medical Director of
LUTH, said that a hitch in the
government’s payment system
was responsible for the
development.
“There was a problem with the
government’s payment system
and lots of doctors, not just
resident doctors in LUTH were
affected and it is being
rectified”, Mr. Bode said.
He said that a meeting was held
recently in Abuja over the
problems, urging the doctors to
be patient as they would be
paid soon.
“The resident doctors should
also focus on their residency
training programme and not
turn it into a salary earning
venture.
“We don’t pay salaries but the
management is doing all it can
to assist the government and
solve these problems”, he said.
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