The Bayelsa government has taken steps to end ongoing strike by Resident Doctors at Bayelsa government owned Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) Okolobiri.
The doctors said they have yet to resume from the indefinite strike called off on Sunday by the national body over several outstanding issue with the health sector.
Dr Oru Oru Inetsol, President of chapter of ARD on Tuesday that the Bayelsa government was in talks with the resident doctors to resolve the labour dispute.
He noted that following the goodwill shown by the government in the negotiations, the resident doctors deployed to the COVID-19 isolation centre were rendering services.
“The Bayelsa Deputy Governor and the Speaker of the House of Assembly led the government team that met with us on Monday and we are making progress with the negotiations.
“Our grievances are beyond hazard allowances and conditions of service but stretch into the general health sector. But we are hopeful of a resolution from the ongoing dialogue,” Inetsol said.
The leadership of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had on Sunday directed its members across the country to return to work as the Federal Government said it has cleared outstanding hazard allowances amongst others.
NDUTH hosts the 100 bed capacity COVID-19 isolation centre located at the outskirts of Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.
The rising spread of confirmed cases to 177 and 137 active cases,29 recoveriess and 11 deaths in Bayelsa with less than 200 bed isolation capacity has raised concerns of an impending crisis in the coming days.
However, at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa normalcy was gradually returning as many patients were receiving medial attention.
Dr Ebidimie-Divine Irole, President of ARD in the hospital said that work was gradually returning to normal pace as the doctors have returned to work as directed by the national leadership of resident doctors.
“We have all resumed work and you can see that patients are gradually returning to the hospital and are receiving services.
“We are optimistic that the federal government would reciprocate the gesture and offset the hazard allowance as earlier pledged,” Irole said.
The intervention came as Resident Doctors at the Bayelsa government owned Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, have yet to resume from the indefinite strike called off on Sunday by the national body.
The leadership of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had on Sunday directed its members across the country to return to work as the Federal Government said it has cleared outstanding hazard allowances, amongst others.
NDUTH hosts the 100 bed capacity COVID-19 isolation centre located at the outskirts of Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.
The rising spread of confirmed cases to 169 from 130 in Bayelsa with less than 200 bed isolation capacity has raised concerns of an impending crisis in the coming days.
Dr Olu Inestol, President of NDUTH chapter of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), said in a telephone interview on Monday that members of the association were still on strike.
“We cannot resume work yet like our counterparts in Federal Government establishments who are being paid the promised hazard allowances, but the same cannot be said for us at the state level.
“As we speak, nothing has been done about our own at NDUTH and that is why we cannot return to work, the strike therefore continues,” Inestol said.
However, at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa some Resident Doctors were seen at their duty posts attending to patients’ haven complied with the directive on the nationwide strike suspension.
Dr Divine Irole, President of ARD in the hospital said on Monday that the doctors have returned to work as directed.
She however said that her members were still to be paid the hazard allowances as announced and were still awaiting its implementation.
The hospital premises was scanty as few patients were seen around.
