National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Binta Sanni | Kwara
The Association of Resident Doctors, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) on Thursday begins a four days warning strike over alleged increase of deaths of patients due to shambolic state of hospital.
This is contained in a Press Statement signed by Dr Anaduaka Obinna, General Secretary of ARD-UITH, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.
He alleged that the hospital is currently in crisis and its shambolic state is resulting in an acute increase in mortality which bites close to home with one of thier member Dr Tolulope Alabi dead.
According to him, the decision of the association to embark on the warning strike action arise from the Emergency General Meeting agreed on a four day-warning strike which will begin from 31st of March 2022 to 6th of April 2022, if demands were not met.
Obinna stated that patient morbidity and mortality is on the rise due to erratic power supply, lack of basic consumables in pharmacies, poor state of hospital equipment, and lack of other basic amenities such as water supply.
He observed that these challenges had resulted in the compromise on the integrity of services from labs such as blood for transfusion, fresh frozen plasma, and even basic lab results.
He stated that there is the severe deterioration in oxygen supply which has resulted in numerous mortalities within the hospital with many quotable cases.
The ARD-Secretary observed that most of these problems have lingered over the last four years with little achieved in the area of solutions to them.
He stated that ARD-UITH has written the Management of the hospital of these challenges affecting the delivery of quality medical services, safety of doctors and other staff and also training in the hospital on numerous occasions.
“The response received from the hospital management has been largely unsatisfactory and results from steps taken by management have often yielded transient and inadequate improvements,” he said.
Obinna also alleged that the delivery suite, obstetrics and gynaecology emergency is currently in a state of crisis with erratic power and water supply, poor oxygen supply and limited faulty equipment constituting health hazards to both the patient and the health care workers and resulting in mortality of mother and child.
“There is poor and shambolic hygienic state of the hospital premises with exposed sewages, busted drains and poor level of cleanliness due to lack of basic amenities such as water supply among others,” he said.
He stated that the association demands an instant and permanent resolution to the power and water crisis to ensure adequate service is delivered.
“There should also be an adequate supply of therapeutic oxygen to all areas where it is required at all times and return of the drug revolving committee activities and mandatory quarterly meetings to review performance, among others.
NAN reports that Mrs. Elizabeth Ajiboye, the UITH’s Head of Corporate Affairs, did not pick calls after several attempts to get across.
She also did not reply to text messages forwarded to get her reaction on the allegations against the management of the hospital.
