Resident doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, have begun a seven-day warning strike over staff shortage at the facility.
After its congress on Tuesday, the medics, under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), said the shortage of staff at the hospital “is no longer acceptable”.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have again come to the crossroads concerning the issue of burnouts being faced by our members because of the dire shortage of Resident Doctors in Federal Medical Center, Owo,” a part of the communique issued by the association’s President (ARD-FMC Owo), Olutobi Olaopa read.
The communique further alleged that previous attempts to draw authorities’ attention to their plights “on several occasions were treated with levity.”
“The Entire congress of the Association unanimously resolved that this is no longer acceptable and has made a decision today 16th August 2022 to proceed on a warning strike action that is to commence by Noon of 17th August 2022,” the doctors said.
The development came as the country battles with a brain drain with many Nigerian doctors and nurses travelling overseas following lack of payment of salaries and government care-free attitude to their welfare.
According to data, most Nigerian doctors now travel to UK and USA for greener pastures to seek a new life for favourable working conditions.