Dr Adeola Badmus, Chairman, Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, says shortage of resident doctors has affected efficiency and productivity at the hospital.
Badmus made this known in an interview on Thursday in Lagos.
“There is severe shortage of resident doctors in LASUTH, because there has not been any direct employment of residents since 2011.
“The marked shortage in residents’ number due to government’s refusal of employment of resident doctors has significantly affected health care delivery negatively.
“Because, when a doctor is doing the work of five or more doctors, you can never get the best out of that doctor, thereby affecting efficiency and productivity,’’ he said.
The president also said that the issue of non-payment of corrected Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and some infrastructural decay in the hospital needed to be addressed.
Badmus said that the hospital’s ARD was in support of the National Association of Resident Doctor’s (NARD) impending strike as the health sector had progressively decayed due to little attempt by the Federal Government to resuscitate the sector.
According to him, it is disheartening to see the sector in a poor state despite repeated effort by NARD.
“Several meetings, negotiations and agreements have been reached with the government at various times in order to improve the health care system and welfare of health workers.
“But there is lack of political will to implement the agreements, leading to progressive decay in the health sector.
“In view of this, at the extraordinary National Executive Council meeting of NARD, held on Dec. 11, 2016, a 21-day ultimatum was given which expired on Jan. 3.
“Some of the demands by the association include white paper on residency training programme and implementation of the National Health Act 2014.
“This will enable Nigerians to benefit from universal health insurance coverage when implemented instead of limiting it to just the ruling class.
“An injury to one is an injury to all; NARD is our parent body and we stand firmly with its decision,’’ he said.
He called on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government, to do the needful in other to avoid an indefinite strike.
The Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Dr Adewale Oke, also told NAN that the hospital would soon get approval from the state government to employ more doctors.
Oke said also that the hospital had taken as many doctors from other hospitals to train for one or two years in fields they did not have.
“We know the peculiarity of the state in terms of the free health policy and the number of patients that visit us.
“Indeed, we can say that we need more doctors; the state government has approved the employment of more consultants and nurses.
“And he is currently in the present state of giving us approval for residents.
“The Health Service Commission is also going to select those medical officers who have passed their primary exams and now send them to LASUTH to increase the number,’’ he said.
