As the strike action embarked upon by Association of Residents Doctor (ARD) UCTH entered its fifth day, patients in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) are leaving the hospital in droves to private health and other health facilities in Cross River State.
DAILY POST, who visited the hospital in Calabar on Thursday, observed that patients were leaving the hospital to private hospitals and other health institutions within and outside the state.
The association of resident doctors had in a communiqué entitled, ARD-UCTH/Vol. 025/03/071, signed by President and Secretary, Imoke Echang and Ucheji Okechuchwu, respectively regretted that the congress of ARD-UCTH observed with displeasure the failure of the management of UCTH to respond to demands after notice of a three day ultimatum issued on the 14th February 2019 to midnight of Monday 18th February 2019.
That the management failed to respond to the association’s demand after embarking on a three day warning strike which commenced on the morning of 19th February 2019 and ended by 8am on Friday 22nd February 2019 after which our members resumed duty.
“Failure of management to respond to our demand after the congress agreed to an appeal by UCTH Management to give them till the end of the month of February to do the needful.
Therefore, the association resolved that its members (ARD-UCTH) would embark on a total indefinite strike action arising from this meeting of 18th March 2019 “That the total and indefinite strike action will continue until such a time that alert of the salary arrears 2014-2016 are received by members of our Association.
Reacting on the strike action, the Chief Medical Director of the Institution, Prof Thomas Agan, who had less than a month to leave office, said diversion of patients, equipment and revenue was the wicked acts by doctors in the hospital.
He described the alleged pilfering, diversion of revenues, equipment and patients from the hospital to private facilities as most wicked and sin against God.
The CMD lamented that the acts have persisted for so long leaving the tertiary institution depraved even though it is the centre of excellence where 90% of the medical personnel including doctors have had their professional training.
Agan, who spoke to journalists in his office, decried the ongoing strike by the Association of Resident Doctors of the hospital which he said was unnecessary because the issue has been explained and addressed.
He said federal government has sunk in staggering sum of money into infrastructure, medical equipment and drugs yet it would still appear as if nothing has been done.
He pointed out that the returns from government’s vast investments in the institution have not been commensurate because of the thievery and diversion of patients allegedly by doctors to their personal facilities.
Agan, who became emotional said that God will not fail to unleash his wrath on the perpetrators and saboteurs of the teaching hospital whom he described as enemies of progress and state.
The CMD said the strike was highly unnecessary as the issue at stake which is the N100 million skipping allowance from the federal government has been well explained over time with assurance that the money and other entitlements will be available for them.
“My colleagues believe that we are not interested in paying the money. We are not refusing to pay. We have explained this issue over and again. I wonder why they are refusing to listen. The strike is very unnecessary even though the consultants are very handy at the hospital,” he said.
He also said that the management of the hospital has frequently arrested culprits and punished them according to the law, while others have been dismissed. On his successor, Agan lamented that he has been castigated, harassed and attacked spiritually by lobbyists and schemers who pressurize him to facilitate them to succeed him.
Agan pleaded that the pressure on him has become unbearable, explaining that he does not have power to hire or appoint who succeeds except Mr. President. “My job ended when we selected the 11 candidates and they were interviewed. The rest now is beyond me. Let me explain this clearly that it is the president who has the prerogative to pick the person to succeed me.
“The lobbying and pressure is much on me as if in have the power to appoint. I have been castigated and attacked spirituality and physically by people angling to back their candidates to emerge. But they are directing this pressure and attack at the wrong person. “Let them leave me alone to complete my tenure next month and be in peace.”
