NMA raises alarm over resignation of 105 doctors from Ondo workforce

By Tobi Adetunji.

The Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised the alarm over the continued resignation of its members from the state government’s hospitals.

It said 105 doctors resigned in the last year.

The Ondo NMA blamed the doctors’ action on what it termed irregular and percentage payment of salaries by the state government.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Ondo NMA Chairman, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe and Secretary, Dr. Olorunfemi Owa.

The statement alleged that the state-owned Teaching Hospital, which had six to eight doctors now has two doctors.

It noted that the dearth of doctors would make it impossible for the hospitals to function at a minimum acceptable level.

According to the statement, “It is troubling to note that only three house officers are left in the service of the Ondo State Government across the three senatorial zones.

“Consequential vacancies in the medical officer cadre need to be urgently tilled. About 50 medical Doctors in this cadre have left the employment of the Hospital Management Board without replacement over the last few months.

“Yawning vacancies exist in the Resident Doctor and Consultant cadres at the Teaching Hospital. These have remained difficult due to the haphazard safety payments.

“We have it on good record that about 105 medical doctors have resigned their employment from the Teaching Hospital in the last year alone.

“Ondo State has not been able to engage requisite numbers of House officers since 2019. This has made our work almost impossible because this group of Doctors has a peculiar role in Health service delivery.

“There is no gainsaying that the ongoing laudable efforts at having a Contributory Health Insurance Scheme in the state can only be successful if the urgent issue of manpower need is adequately addressed,” the NMA said

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had in an interview said he was not elected to pay salaries alone and that medical doctors in the state’s payroll were not more special than other workers.

According to the Governor, “They shouldn’t try this again. We are not fearful; we are ready for them. They are not different from teachers, lawyers, journalists and other categories in the state.

“All of them have students going to school like doctors. People should help us talk to them.”

“There is no government that will use all its monies to pay salaries. We are not elected to pay salaries alone.

“Nobody would remember you for salaries paid but legacies left behind. The challenge is that money is not available. I am not happy about it and we are all not happy.

“If there is money, we’ll pay. We met six months arrears and we paid. But we have to balance everything. It is only about five percent of the people of the state collecting salaries, what about the rest ninety-five percent?

“We put in place the first teaching hospital in the state. I’m told that we are the highest paying state to our health workers.”