Patients Groan as Doctors Commence Strike in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Patients in the Kwara state hospitals and health clinics yesterday groaned following the commencement of the seven days warning strike embarked on by the medical personnel in all the 16 local government council areas of the state.

Already, some families have been moving out their patients from the government hospitals to private hospitals for medical attention.

The members of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), on Monday announced the commencement of the seven-day warning strike action across the 16 local government council areas of the state over poor remuneration.

The chairman of the group, Dr. Saka Agboola, at the news conference in Ilorin, explained that the association had been patient and given series of ultimatum to the state government concerning their agitation on members welfare.

He observed that as much as it is painful for the executives to reach such decision, the congress has, however, unanimously agreed on a seven days warning strike action.

However, a visit of our correspondent to some of the hospitals and health centres owned by the state government in IIorin, showed that the health personnel were absence at their duty posts.

Reports from other local government councils in the state also revealed that the health officers and doctors at the various clinics and maternity centres were not there to attend to the pregnant women and other patients.

It was gathered that, some of the patients, who trooped out to the hospitals for medical attention were disappointed because there were medical officers to attend to them.

A patient, who spoke on condition of anonymity with our correspondent in Ilorin yesterday, appealed to the state government to come to their aid on the ongoing strike action by the medical personnel in the state.

She said: “I am now here to see my doctor for medical treatment and not available to attend to me due to the strike.

“And, the most worrying part of it is that the nation’s economic crisis is not helping us as there is no money to go for private hospitals.

” I want to appeal to the state government to come to the aid of less privileged people in the society so as to have access to quality medical attention because the ongoing warning strike action by the state’s medical personnel is having a serious effect on our lives”.