The Association of Resident Doctors, Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (ARD-KWASUTH), on Friday said its members have joined the nationwide strike over unmet demands.
Speaking at a news conference in Ilorin, the association’s President, Dr Abdulfatah Abdulazeez, said the doctors had exercised patience for an extended period to allow the state government time to address their concerns.
He noted, however, that the issues had lingered for too long without any clear commitment from the government.
“We engaged in amicable communication and held meetings with the authorities, yet our demands were not met.
“Recently, the National Association of Resident Doctors embarked on a nationwide indefinite strike. They have a 19-point agenda that affects all resident doctors in Nigeria,” he said.
Abdulazeez added that there were also demands unique to KWASUTH which had been presented to the state government.
He commended Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for efforts made so far, including the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and commencement of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure 2024.
However, he said several outstanding issues still posed a serious challenge to healthcare delivery in the state.
“The first demand we raised was manpower and staffing. There has been chronic depletion of doctors, and those remaining are leaving.
“This is worsened by the shortage of house officers, who ordinarily cushion the effects of inadequate manpower,” he said.
Abdulazeez decried the high rate of doctors leaving the hospital due to exhaustion, burnout and lack of basic amenities such as stable water and electricity.
“The remuneration is too low. Among healthcare institutions in neighbouring states, Kwara offers the lowest pay for house officers—about N220,000.
“The doctors here are overworked. The World Health Organisation recommends one doctor to 600 people. In Nigeria, it is one to 10,000. Here in KWASUTH, it is even worse,” he said.
He stressed that doctors are not superhuman and fatigue affects their ability to safely care for patients.
“The call rooms where doctors rest after long shifts are deplorable, and the call meals being served are not fit for consumption,” he said.
Abdulazeez reiterated the doctors’ commitment to supporting the government in improving the healthcare sector.
Responding, the Deputy Chief Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Obalowu Ismaila, said management was aware of ARD’s decision to join the nationwide strike.
“They are mandated by their national body to join the strike. They had their meeting yesterday and informed us of their decision,” he said.
He maintained that ARD-KWASUTH had been receiving government support, adding that efforts to address manpower shortages were ongoing.
Ismaila noted that the “Japa syndrome” was a national issue affecting medical recruitment across the country.
“The governor has approved the employment of more doctors, and the approval still stands. But the challenge is the Japa syndrome.
“Most doctors, even while in medical school, are already writing foreign exams. By the time they finish internship, they leave,” he said.
He urged the doctors to be patient, revealing that the state government is developing special programmes for young doctors to ensure they serve in Kwara for some years.
According to him, the initiative will operate as a bonding programme to retain more young doctors in the state.
