The resident doctors at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, have joined their colleagues across the country in a strike action, which has paralysed the healthcare delivery system in the hospital.
When LEADERSHIP visited the hospital, patients were seen with gloomy faces as only consultants were available to attend to patients.
A patient, Uchenna Anyanwu, lamented that the strike action had paralysed activities in the hospital. He called on the federal government to take appropriate steps to alleviate the challenges faced by the common man in accessing medical care.
According to him, the federal government should show sincerity of purpose in tackling the demands of resident doctors.
He said, ” The less privileged face harsh economic realities and are unable to afford medical care in private hospitals. The poor masses are really suffering in this country; we are being deprived of adequate medical care.
“Now that the resident doctors are on strike, we have no option, because the poor cannot afford to pay for medical care in private hospitals.”
In her comment, Chinyere Nwandu stressed that this issue of the resident doctors’ strike appears to have turned into a recurring decimal and appealed to the federal government to expedite action as doctors render essential services to the citizenry.
She highlighted that the strike action had affected her adversely.
According to her, the resources to access health services in a private hospital are not readily available.
” I am a civil servant, managing my meagre salary and cannot afford to pay for the services of a private hospital. I urge the government to negotiate and keep to the terms of the agreement, as the masses are suffering the consequences of this stalemate between the federal government and resident doctors.”
