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Resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, under the Association of Resident Doctors, staged a protest on Monday.
The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja Chapter, has once again taken to the streets, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Health, Ali Pate, to launch an investigation into the alleged wickedness, decay of facilities and the inhuman treatment going on at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, before the hospital collapses totally.
Members of the association also demanded the immediate reinstatement of their President, Dr. Jimoh Umar, who was suspended last year for the association’s activities.
Friday’s protest is the second within two weeks following last Monday’s protest which culminated in the invitation of the Chief Medical Director, Dr Olatunde Alabi, by the state police command to appear at a security meeting.
Speaking during another peaceful protest at the premises of the hospital in Lokoja on Friday, the immediate past Chairman of the association, Dr Olushola Baoku, again said, “The hospital before now had 315 doctors, lamenting that today the hospital can only boast of only 43 doctors because of poor working conditions.”
Speaking further, Baoku stressed that many of the doctors in the employment of the hospital are on a devilish contract where the doctors have to renew their contract every two months with the management, describing the situation as ridiculous in a country that is spending much on the health sector.
“This category of doctors have no pension, no promotion, no hazard allowance, no minimum wage award and they work in a harsh environment where facilities in the hospital are not functioning. We are aware that the federal government through the Ministry of Health has directed the management of the hospital to use the internally generated revenue of the hospital to clear all outstanding arrears, we are shocked to hear that up till now this hospital has been owing humongous amount due for the workers of the hospital.
“Some of our doctors in this hospital in the last five years have been renewing their contracts instead of the management to engage them fully. Since 2012 this hospital has not employed a single doctor or other health workers reason the hospital is passing through an acute shortage of manpower in all units and sections of the hospital. In the last week, this is the third protest Resident Doctors in Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja have staged. We have chosen to remain in this country to serve our father’s land but some people who believe they are above the law are making things worse and difficult for us and the hospital.
“This hospital has been turned into a slave camp by Olatunde Alabi-led administration. The hospital is nothing but a doctors’ slave camp. We have written 14 petitions to the minister of health Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, to the SGF Senator George Akume, to the Head of Service of the federation and very recently to the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, to NMA leaders complaining about the decay in this hospital and up till now nothing has been done.
“Perhaps the authorities concerned have decided to allow this hospital to collapse because of the inaction of the few people who managed the hospital. It was on record that an attendant who worked in the hospital was sick and brought to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital there was no light everywhere and that was how the women who died of a sickness could be treated supposing there was light. She worked in the hospital for over 20 years but died of an avoidable death.
“The other time doctors and other health workers were beaten seriously by someone who brought a sick relation to the hospital because nothing could be done to save life due to lack of unfunctional equipment. The Intensive Care Unit of the hospital can not keep a patient for three hours because of a lack of facilities and as a result, the President of our association stood up to demand a facelift in the hospital but the management started the persecution, suspension and now fake termination of Dr Jimoh Umar,” he said.
Baoku, who alleged that the Chief Medical Director of the hospital Dr. Olatunde Alabi had been footdragging to reinstate Umar, the president of the association, said the minister of health through the Permanent Secretary had directed that Dr Umar be reinstated immediately.
“The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate through the Permanent Secretary, Ms Kachollom Shangti Daju, has approved the reinstatement of Dr Jimoh Umar since December 12, 2024.
“The letter got to the FTHL on January 11, 2025, but the CMD, Dr Olatunde Alabi, has deliberately refused to effect the content of the letter as directed by the Minister. All we are saying as doctors is that the CMD should obey the superior order according to Section 3 of the Civil Service Rule.
“It says refusal to treat an official file, violation of auto secrecy, act unbecoming of a public officer and insubordination, are all acts of misconduct. All these are contained in the public service rule, and all of us are under the public service rules including the CMD” he stated.
