The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has appealed to the Association of Resident Doctors of the hospital to immediately call off the current strike embarked upon by the union.
Dr. Thomas Agan added that considering their importance to the health sector, the union should put the interest of the patient above all other interests and resume their duties while awaiting the release of overhead cost by the Federal Government to meet their demands.
Speaking to the media at the premises of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr Agan maintained that the resident doctors are, among other demands, requesting for the implementation of their sponsorship arrears from 2012, utility arrears, upgrading and automatic stepping of their trainings.
The CMD affirmed that although the striking doctors had given management a 21-day ultimatum which ended on Wednesday, July 1 before embarking on the strike, the management was constrained on immediately meeting their demands due to inadequate funds resulting from the non-release of overhead cost by the Federal Government.
President of the Association, Dr. Ukeh Ikechukwu, sued for transparency on the part of all stakeholders involved in the health sector as regards meeting their demands for the safety of millions of lives who are in desperate need of health care services.
