By Linus Akomolafe
Worried by the effect of the continued strike action by Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over financial agitations and Government’s ‘no work, no pay’, stance, patients in Lagos have appealed again to the government.
Some of the patients who spoke to IkejaBird today revealed that they have resorted to traditional herbs to tackle their medical conditions.
Mrs. Aderogun revealed that the strike has affected the appointment her ill son had with the doctor. She now relies on traditional herbs for treatment.
“We have been using ‘agbo’ herbs and other medicine to keep him stable, some of my friends who are nurses also visit to help him.”
Another resident, James noted that with increasing COVID-19 variants, the country is in a state that requires government and medical practitioners to put aside differences for the benefit of all Nigerians.
” If you look at where we are today, with many variants of COVID-19, you will realise that Doctors going on strike should not be mentioned. But our government doesn’t seem to place priority on the lives of Nigerians not to talk of those responsible for treatment,” he said.
When IkejaBird visited the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, we discovered that doctors only attended to patients at the Surgerical Emergency Unit at the entrance with extra charges.
One of the patients who revealed how he was charged more than required said it was due to the strike action.
” If you come to the emergency unit here you will be attended to but they will charge you higher than when there is no strike. I was here with my son and we have been paying,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the staff that works at the Research department said: “When we did ward round this morning, we did not see any Doctor. Aside the ones for Cancer and doctors that help with deliveries.”
The Federal Ministry of Health had last Friday sought an order restraining the doctors from continuing the strike that began on August 2, contrary to Section 41 of the Trade Dispute Act.
Justice John Targema ordered the Federal Government and Resident doctors to suspend all forms of hostilities and maintain status quo.
