Doctors Down Tools, Abandon COVID-19 Patients In Ondo

Medical doctors at the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, Akure, Ondo State have stopped attending to patients admitted at the facility.

The development followed the increasing figures of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Sunshine State.

The doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, NAGGMDP, blamed the state government led by Rotimi Akeredolue, on the manner at which the COVID-19 pandemic was being handled in the state.

IDH is where patients with infectious diseases such as LASSA fever and COVID-19 are treated.

The State Secretary of NAGGMDP, Dr. Olasakinju Tunde, who announced the doctors’ withdrawal of service in a statement on Monday, said it was due to failure of the government to accede to their demands.

The association hinged their reason on government’s failure to conclude negotiations on the erstwhile suspended Minimum Wage and Consequential Adjustments already enjoyed by the Non-Medical Staff Since January 2020, inadequate supply of personal protective equipments (PPE) and the general welfare of our members which include Life Insurance for frontline doctors.

The doctors had during a congress requested that members who are the COVID19 specialists at the IDH to continue to work till Thursday morning, 2nd July 2020 in the interest of the general public and particularly confirmation of the COVID19 Status of Mr. Governor.

Following the non-compliance with the earlier directive, the association directed that “it is imperative that our members be withdrawn immediately (from midnight today 6th July 2020) due to lack of the human face expected from the government.”