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Tag: Luth Doctors

  • LUTH doctor killed hours after graduation

    A  House Officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)  Dr. Stephen Urueye, has been stabbed to death hours after his graduation.

    Urueye who graduated from the University of Lagos on Wednesday was reportedly robbed and stabbed on Thursday by hoodlums who were trying to rob him of his valuables, along Idi Araba road where the hospital is situated.

    Reports on twitter say medical students have complained severally to the management of the hospital as regards growing robbery attacks in the area.

    Read Also: LUTH becomes regional centre for oral surgery

    Following his death, some of his colleagues and other Nigerians have taken to Twitter to lament over his murder and also seek justice for him with the hashtag #JusticeForStephen.

  • LUTH doctors to Nigerians: tell management to pay our salaries

    •Over 600 doctors involved •Strike is last option

    Over 600 doctors in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) have urged Nigerians to prevail on the hospital management and the Federal Ministries of Health and Finance to pay their two months outstanding salaries and this month’s pay.

    The doctors, under the aegis of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-LUTH), spoke yesterday in Lagos.

    They said they and their dependants were facing untold hardship due to non-payment of their salaries.

    The medics said the salaries of over 600 doctors had been withheld since August while other workers had been paid up to date.

    They said this had led to the crisis in the hospital.

    The doctors said they would have gone on strike but considered what would happen to the patients.

    LUTH’s MDCAN Chairman Dr Babatunde Bamigboye said the frequency of industrial actions among doctors in the hospital had reduced due to the conscious effort of the association the body of doctors, being mindful of the collateral damages that come with such action.

    He said while the medical body sought explanation for the discriminatory payment, the management of LUTH as an hospital, the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal ministry of Finance officials gave conflicting reports, adding that there have been no official step taken so far to ensure that this problem is attended to.

    “What then is expected of a young House officer who by the end of this month will be owed three months salaries, the Resident Doctors whose families rely upon for their welfare and who also has his examinations to finance? Or are  the Consultants expected to carry on as if all is well when they are fully aware that all other workers in the hospitals including the officers of the hospital management have all been paid while they are left to the blame-trading acts of the government officials?,” he lamented.

    Also expressing displeasure, the President, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH, Dr Olawale Oba said an emergency general meeting has been held by members of the chapter, in which the resolution is to follow the steps of agitation through whatever means possible, adding that the association has issued a 14 day-ultimatum to the management starting from today, in which failure to adhere to their compliant would result to indefinite strike action.

    Also, the Leader of the Southwest National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Akinkunmi Afolabi said the national body is fully involved in the issue and would give the doctors full supporting any action decided on, in order to get the management to attend to their plights.

    He said, though, the next action is to embark on industrial action, the association would forestall whatever would lead to it, since the patients would suffer the consequence of any strike.

  • LUTH doctors begin three-day strike

    LUTH doctors begin three-day strike

    Lagos University Teaching Hospital LUTH) resident doctors yesterday began a three-day warning strike over their May salary and unpaid arrears.

    President, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH chapter Dr Ramon Moronkola said they were being owed 13 months arrears of skipping from Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) 10 to 13.

    The money, he said, was their entitlement, adding that it should be paid without further delays as other doctors have received theirs.

    “We don’t know why our case is different in LUTH. Other doctors in the employment of the Federal Government have since been paid,” Moronkola said.

    The strike, he said, became imperative to give room for peaceful resolution of the crisis, adding: “Failure to address the problems, we will not hesitate to commence an indefinite strike on June 29.”

    Moronkola said the government directed in January last year that the money be paid, adding that he is surprised at LUTH’s refusal to do so.

    “Some doctors in other government-owned institutions have received their skipping arrears in eight centres,” he said.

    Moronkola berated LUTH management for resorting to threat rather than having a dialogue with the doctors.

    Such threats, he said, would only worsen the matter because doctors would remain resolute until their demands are met.

    Ex-president, ARD LUTH Dr Olubunmi Omojowolo said the hospital has not prioritised doctors’ welfare, adding that doctors have been attacked by armed robbers on a number of times with their valuables stolen.

    He alleged that the acting Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Christopher Bode and the Committee of CMDs are deliberately withholding the arrears.

    “They have formed a parallel body to that of the government. That is why they can go against the government and withhold doctors’ pay,” he said.

    He said there was money to pay doctors’ arrears as it had been captured in the 2015 budget, adding: “The CMD should answer us to prevent plunging the hospital into another crisis.”

    Skeletal services, he said, were being provided to cushion the strike’s effect on patients.

     

  • LUTH doctors, others robbed

    LUTH doctors, others robbed

    Armed robbers struck at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) last Thursday, dispossessing doctors and others of valuables.

    Some doctors were in the ARD Lounge, preparing for their examinations while others were relaxing when the robbers struck at about 7.30am

    A victim said: “The first that entered wore a clinical coat. As he entered, he just shouted: ‘This is armed robbery; all of you, cooperate and face down. If you make any move, I will waste your life.’ Three others soon joined him. The first person was holding a pistol and he pointed it at each of us. We lost working tools such as iPads, handsets – some of those phones are expensive – and some lost personal effects. At the end, they left through the backdoor. That was highly curious to some of us. The experience that we medics can be robbed at gunpoint at a place considered our safe zone is really scary.

    “The issues that really baffled us include how it happened, despite the security measures put in place by the management. There are suspects – people hanging around that we did not feel comfortable with. The association has lodged a complaint with the Alakara Police Station in Mushin and also with the one attached to the hospital. There was a lady medic in our midst; we thank God that she was neither harassed nor assaulted.”

    Another said: “Some of us were there at the Lounge because we were on call duty; some go there because of the guarantee that there would be electricity. Most of us are sitting for our different examinations; so we read there. Of interest is that the assailants were all in clinical coats. And we deduced that there was at least, one person outside who was giving others signals. There are suspects and the management is already handling the case.

    “So also, the security breach baffled us. A security officer was on duty at that time; even if he couldn’t shoot, he should have raised the alarm to attract reinforcement while taking to his heels. We observed that the assailants were in a haste to do their thing and move on. They carted the stolen things inside a bag of a colleague. They even took away log books and case notes meant for the examinations.

    “The most disturbing thing is the gate at the back of the lounge. Most people, including doctors, did not know it existed. It was perpetually under lock. But that was their escape route and it was opened. That indicates that it was a well-planned crime involving an insider. The incident is a trauma for some of us. Some of us still wake up with a jerk around that time every day since that fateful day.”

     

  • LUTH doctors begin indefinite strike today

    The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) branch of the Association of Residents Doctors (ARD) begins an indefinite strike today.

    It took the decision at an emergency general meeting  on May 28.

    The LUTH ARD President, Dr Omojowolo Olubunmi, said: “As doctors, we are gravely concerned about the deleterious impact of astronomical increase in hospital charges on patients. There is increase in  avoidable deaths and morbidity due to patients’ inability to afford the fees. This also affects our training as resident doctors. The worst affected areas are the surgical subspecialties, where patients now discharge against medical advice to seek cheaper and dangerous alternatives.

    “The prices of minor surgical procedures such as suturing of lacerations, incision and drainage, chest tube insertion etc, have skyrocketed from N8,000 to over N50,000. Lack of basic  equipment, chronic shortage of stationery, epileptic water supply,  dirty environment, inadequate manpower, especially in critical care etc, have all led to very poor service delivery to Nigerians.”

    “We expect the management to act in good faith by implementing the report of the inter-ministerial committee on this subject matter without any further delay.”

    Omojowolo wants the employment list of residents from the outstanding departments be released immediately, among other demands.

  • LUTH doctors begin indefinite strike

    LUTH doctors begin indefinite strike

    Essential medical activities were on Tuesday brought to a halt as Resident Doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, embarked on an indefinite strike.

    The doctors, under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), commenced the indefinite strike over the implementation of a new tax law which they described as exorbitant and lacking uniform application.

    The doctors alleged that the Management of LUTH had been deducting huge amounts from their monthly salaries as tax.

    A check carried out by the News Agency of Nigeria at the institution revealed that the Outpatient Ward was deserted by patients because the doctors were no longer attending to them.

    NAN reports that some patients on admission were seen leaving the hospital premises.

    Mr. Ayoola Ogunrombi, the husband of a patient on admission, told NAN that he had to get a referral letter to another hospital because the doctors had stopped attending to his wife.

    An executive officer of the ARD, who sought anonymity, said the strike was meant to compel the management of the institution to revert to the old tax system.

    “All is not well with LUTH; we feel cheated with the tax deduction imposed on us.

    “We do not understand how our income tax is higher and differs greatly from that of our colleagues in similar institutions.

    “The management has over-applied the Federal Government’s new tax law, without bothering to consult with us, ’’ the ARD official told NAN.