By Chioma Obinna
LAGOS—IT was a day of pain and anguish for patients at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, as medical doctors under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors in LASUTH, LASUTH-ARD, made good their threat to embark on a three-day warning strike.
The medical doctors had Sunday issued a threat to embark on strike over the shortage of resident doctors and house officers in the hospital.
Many of the patients, who besieged the hospital as early as 5 am to keep their appointments with the doctors, were left unattended to.
Several of them, who hung around for hours with the hope that doctors may change their minds and consider them were disappointed.
From the General Out-patient-Department, GOPD, to other clinics, many of the patients were given a new date for their appointments.
Further investigation showed that a few doctors at the family clinic however volunteered to work on a compassionate ground.
But only a few patients were fortunate to be attended to.
At 1 pm, the doctors stopped working and asked other patients waiting to leave and come back another day.
Patients groan
Some of the patients who spoke to Vanguard narrated their frustrations.
A patient, who identified himself as Adebayo, told Vanguard that he left his home at Abule Egba as early as 5 am in order to keep his appointment.
He said: “I came for the doctors to review my treatment but nobody attended to me. I was told they are on strike.”
LASUTH-ARD boss reacts
Reacting to the situation, the Acting President of LASUTH-ARD, Dr. Ibrahim Ogunbi said the management of LASUTH failed to respond to their demands.
Ogunbi said: “We are not attending general out-patient clinics, all elective surgeries have been cancelled, patients in the wards are currently being discharged and very severe patients coming for emergencies will be seen and discharged immediately. Henceforth, the strike will be total.
“As soon as those in the wards are stable, they will be discharged.”
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