The doctors disclosed this in a communique issued in Osogbo, the state capital, on Thursday, at the end of an emergency congress of the association.The communique was jointly signed by its President and Public Relations Officer, Dr Enesi Ibukunoluwa and Dr Abiola Rasheed, respectively.
The ARD stated that despite several formal and informal engagements with the hospital management, issues bordering on the welfare of members had remained largely unresolved.
The communique listed issues that border on the welfare of the doctors in the hospital including the continual shortage of doctors and increasing burnout among doctors; non-payment of up to 14 months arrears to 42 doctors who diligently worked with the majority of them and still working for the hospital; non-capturing of the so-called newly employed doctors on IPPIS and the non-payment of withheld March 2024 salaries of over 45 doctors, who were abruptly suspended from the hospital payroll without any justifiable reason.
The association demanded the “immediate payment of all outstanding arrears to 42 doctors who diligently worked and are still working for the hospital, immediate capturing on the IPPIS platform of the doctors above in line with the public service rule 040102, immediate payment of withheld March salaries of over 45 doctors earlier suspended from the hospital payroll, immediate restoration of call meals during call hours and refurbishment of doctors’ call rooms with urgent attention to the House Officers’ call room in the Emergency Department in Ife Hospital unit and Wesley Guild Hospital.
Also included in its demands is the “immediate payment of the accrued accoutrement allowance, immediate reversal of the unjust implementation of the “No Work and No Pay” policy in the face of a five-day protest to correct a ‘Work and No Pay’ situation of up to 14 months to our members.”
The association further threatened to proceed with a protest on July 1, 2024, starting from 8 a.m. and a two-hour break during call hours to sort the call meals of doctors, if its demands were not met.
Shedding more light on the issue of snake sightings at OAUTHC in Ile-Ife and its annex, Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, ARD’s spokesperson, Abiola, during an interview with The PUNCH, said, “Within the last month, seven snakes were killed in both Ilesa and Ife hospitals but majorly in llesa.”
When contacted for reaction, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr John Okeniyi said he was aware of the demands of the ARD and urged our correspondent to endeavour to visit the hospital to have access to facts and figures.