Association of Resident Doctors, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, has directed its members to commence an indefinite strike.
The directive has led to disruption of operations at the facility, as the hospital has come to a standstill due to an emergency and an indefinite strike declared by labor unions following an assault by suspected hoodlums who attacked the facility.
On Monday, the hoodlums invaded the hospital, causing destruction, assaulting doctors, and even stealing a corpse believed to be related to one of the assailants.
In response to the incident, the Association of Resident Doctors, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, has urgently directed its members to commence an indefinite strike.
The Association’s president, Dr. Famous Adeyemi, conveyed this decision in a letter to the Chief Medical Director, Professor Kayode Olabanji.
The strike is a protest against the assault on the association members, the destruction of hospital property, and the theft of a corpse during the attack.
The letter called on the hospital management and the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, to apprehend the perpetrators and address the association’s longstanding demands for improved welfare. It also urged the government to enact legislation criminalizing assaults on health workers in the state.
In response, the hospital’s spokesperson, Rolake Adewumi, confirmed the situation and said about four additional armed policemen had been deployed to enhance security. The state police commissioner has equally launched a manhunt for the assailants, pledging their arrest and prosecution.
The hospital’s management, as stated by Professor Kayode Olabanji, expressed dissatisfaction with the hoodlums’ activities, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for violence against hospital staff. Security measures have been intensified, with armed police stationed at key areas, and the hospital management is collaborating with law enforcement to bring the culprits to justice.
The Chief Medical Director assured staff that steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence and emphasized the commitment to ensuring a safe working environment, as the hospital’s management is actively working to address the concerns of its staff and has engaged relevant stakeholders in the pursuit of justice.
