Doctors at the Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State have embarked on a strike over their unpaid salaries and allowances.
The group has said the strike will be indefinite until the authorities address their grievances.
In a statement entitled “Why Doctors Are on Strike in ABUTH, Zaria”, the striking doctors alleged that the authorities of the hospital were selectively paying them their salaries.
Speaking at a press conference, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, ABUTH Zaria, Dr. Tuko Tari wondered why the hospital management had failed to pay them, stating that other federal teaching hospitals in Sokoto, Jos, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Gombe and Enugu, were not paying their workers in instalment.
He further said that “in the midst of this problem, 44 resident doctors were illegally sacked by the management of our hospital and they have refused to reinstate them despite assurances.”
Meanwhile, reports say the strike by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals has grounded health care services in some of the nation’s public hospitals.
According to Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, the Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, the strike action has already cost the life of a female student who was on admission at the university’s teaching hospital where her condition deteriorated due to the industrial action.
NUAHP members began their strike two weeks ago while resident doctors in some federal health institutions commenced theirs more than four weeks ago.
