The Federal Medical
Centre (FMC), Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Thursday, discharged
all the patients on admission, following a strike by nurses and
laboratory technologists in the hospital.
By noon, the
workers, operating under the aegis of Joint Action Committee, had
deserted their duty posts in protest over cuts on their monthly
allowance, tagged ‘Teaching Allowance’.
In a statement
signed by V. Okungbowa on behalf of the Medical Director of the
hospital, Leo Erhunmwunsee, the management drew the attention of the
public to the strike.
“As a result of the
industrial action by the Joint Action Committee, comprising nurses,
laboratory technologists and others, management hereby directs that all
emergency services be closed until the action is called off. However,
patients already on admission should be stabilised before discharge,”
the statement said.
Meanwhile, Dr.
Erhunmwunsee told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview that the
workers were reacting to the stoppage of the payment of their “teaching
allowances” by the management.
He said that the
allowance was being paid to all the hospital staff until the Federal
Government came up with a clarification that only consultants and chief
registrars were entitled to it. According to the CMD, the allowance is
to be paid to only those who teach postgraduate medical students in the
hospital.
“So, based on the
government clarification, we stopped the payment of the allowance to
other staff of the hospital in January,” he said.
A man, who spoke to
NAN on the development, expressed dismay over the action of the
management and decried the sudden ‘eviction’ of patients from the
hospital.
Mike Nnamdi, whose
wife was admitted in the emergency ward of the hospital on Wednesday,
described the situation as unfortunate.
“As it is, my heart
is troubled because of this development; FMC still remains the best in
a critical situation as mine. Well, I will take her to a private
hospital to continue her treatment,” he said.
Efforts to speak
with the striking workers failed as those who were still on the
hospital premises declined comment, while their leaders could not be
reached.
