Resident doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo in Ondo State, yesterday, commenced a two weeks warning strike over the dearth of personnel.
The doctors, under the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, shut down services at the hospital after its general meeting in Owo.
President of the association in the hospital, Dr Olaopa Olutobi Gideon, said the strike action was inevitable as they were working “under dire stressful conditions.”
He said: “No employment has been carried out in the hospital since 2018. The hospital used to have about 300 doctors and house officers but many of them have left the system.
“But now one person is doing the job of five persons. We have been on this issue since last year.
“The situation keeps getting worst because a lot of people are leaving the system. There has not been any employment in the FMC Owo, since 2018. The employment of additional 200 doctors and health officers will solve the problem.
“We urge the management and all relevant offices of the Federal Government to ensure the employment of the resident doctors and House officers to the hospital to relieve the severe shortage of manpower and overwhelming workload being faced by our members in the hospital.”
Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Olufunsho Ijanusi, confirmed the industrial but said the management of the hospital is on top of the situation.