UNIMED doctors down tools over assault on medical officer

Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo State, have embarked on a two-day warning strike to protest an assault on a medical officer.

A relative of an aged patient was said to have assaulted the medical officer on Tuesday inflicting injuries on him.
The victim, identified simply as Dr Sayo, works at the Accident and Emergency Department of the hospital.

It was gathered that the assailant was dissatisfied with the manner the said medical officer handled the patient, resulting in an altercation between them.

Witnesses said it took the intervention of men of the Amotekun Corps before the doctor “was rescued”.
The doctors on Wednesday carried placards to protest the assault, demanding the management’s urgent treatment of the affected doctor.

They also staged peaceful protests in Ondo and Akure centres of the hospital simultaneously.

They called on the state government to provide adequate security in the hospital premises to prevent a repeat of the incident.

The President of the Association of Resident Doctors, John Matthew, said “the attack was uncalled for”.

“It is sad that we have found ourselves in this precarious situation. Over 100 staff have left the hospital, thereby creating a burden for us,” he said.

“We implore the state government to employ more doctors to address the problem. We also want the government to provide adequate security in the hospital premises.”

ALSO READ: Nigerian doctors, other health workers renew rivalry over entitlements

Also speaking on the issue, Ibidapo Bolayemi, a doctor, said the hospital is understaffed, urging the state government to employ more doctors.

She said doctors should be paid regularly to encourage them as they carry out their duties.

The unnamed attacker was taken into custody by the Amotekun operatives who intervened during the incident.
The corps is yet to make any official statement on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

In September last year, medical doctors at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital downed their tools over persistent assaults by members of their host community.