By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Resident doctors at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi and Federal Medical Center in Azare have continued to participate in the ongoing nationwide strike by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
While speaking to our correspondent, Bauchi branch Chairman of NARD, Dr Muhammad Nur Algazali said that, “we are still on strike in line with the directives of the national body. We cannot do otherwise. None of our members is rendering any service until the issues were resolved and the industrial action called off by the national body”.
The CMD of ATBUTH, Bauchi, Dr Jibrin Yusuf Bara while reacting to the development said that, “For now, we have mobilized all our Consultants who are rendering services to the patients assisted by the few House medical workers we have around to keep the situation under control”.
The ATBUTH CMD added that, “all our emergency centers at the EPU, Gynecological for pregnant women, trauma center for accident cases are opened and attending to cases as they come. All our people are putting in their best to provide quality care to the patients as they come”
Yusuf Jibrin Bara added that, “before the strike commenced, we made sure that patients in all the medical and surgical wards who did not need much medical attention as they were getting set for discharge were allowed to go home while only a few who still needed close attention were allowed to remain behind.
He however expressed optimism that the strike action will not last for a long time as according to him the two sides are engaged in serious negotiations on how to reach a compromise assuring that his hospital will continue to manage the situation.
He said that, “we have not had any casualty arising from the strike action as of now that I am speaking to you. People have been coming but we are not giving them admission, we only attend to emergency cases”.
While reacting to questions put to him, he said that, “For the 3 issues you listed above, What we do know as NARD is that the Consultants are responsible for taking care of all the patients on admission currently under the Body of MDCAN. Further information can be gotten from the Chairman of MDCAN ATBUTH”.
The CMD of FMC, Azare, Dr Abdullahi Ibrahim while talking to our Correspondent vide phone said that, “The strike has affected us in many ways because for now we cannot run the normal 18 hours outpatient and other services. But as of now (Saturday) that I am speaking to you, we have not recorded any casualties though we have made some referrals”
He added that, “though we have Consultants, Medical officers and other health workers on the ground to provide services to patients, the services of the Resident Doctors is greatly missed and we hope that the issue will be resolved very soon”.
The CMD said that negotiations are ongoing and the FG is doing its best to ensure that the issues were amicably resolved for the good of the people of Nigeria assuring that for now, the FMC will continue to do its best to meet the medical demands of the people.
He then assured that all emergency cases as well as others needing attention will be promptly and professionally handled by the Consultants and other health professionals around until normalcy returns.
