RE: ESUT PARKLANE RESIDENT DOCTORS' STRIKE: OUR POSITION

```Here is the Truth```

Ordinarily, this article does not deserve our response, but so that the general public is not deceived. We have to let out some truths.

1. For the records, we have only one ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS in ESUT Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Any other person or persons claiming to be new or old ARD is/are impostor(s)

2. The doctors in Parklane are a set of dedicated and committed doctors reckoned with in the whole of the southeast.

3. We have in the past and even currently faced head on the upsurge of the dreaded Lassa fever and covid-19 in this state with good outcome.

4. We have also worked with the hospital management and state government with loyalty and absolute trust even in the face of glaring injustice and underpayment.

5. We, as doctors working in Parklane do not have a different market, school for our kids, or special estate for habitation in Enugu to cushion our meagre pay.


6. ESUTH doctors are not asking for their salary to be increased above what their contemporaries are being paid, they only seek equity.

7. If by paying the doctors their due salary they will earn twice the pay of their Consultants and even Professors as you alleged, it means that Residents doctors in different institutions currently earn more than the Consultants and Professors in ESUTH. One can only wonder the disparity between the pay of residents in other hospitals and those in ESUTH since the pay of ESUTH Consultants and Professors is much more than that of these doctors.

8. It may interest the public to know that as a doctor in Parklane, there is no special consideration as a staff when you or your family falls sick and treated in the same hospital. There is also no health insurance anywhere for Enugu state for her work force.

9. It is from this meagre salary that we struggle to meet our basic needs, made worse by the larger society that assumes doctors have a lot to spare. Moreso, when they know what is approved by the Government as doctors' salary.

10. It is no news that since the introduction of consolidated medical salary structure, CONMESS, in 2009, resident doctors in Parklane have only received 70% of it and only from 2014 after forfeiting their more than 6 months salary to the struggle. Wages and remuneration as we know, are in the exclusive list of our constitution.

11. This CONMESS has been reviewed upwards by the federal government in 2014 and 2019 with consequential minimum wage adjustment, but we are still on a fraction of the oldest version after 11 years.

12. These same doctors attend the same courses and examinations as their counterparts all over West Africa, the costs of which are ever increasing with the fluidity in exchange rate.

13. They have no pension, no gratuity, no pay-off and above all, I have no permanent job

14. It becomes clearer that if this trend continues ,we shall waste our youth in the service of the state with nothing to show for it. However, we have patiently continued to put in our best while dialoguing with the govt to do the needful.

15. From 2016 till date, we have engaged the state government on these issues but nothing has been done about them. On two occasions, when we threatened or attempted to down tool, the state government had made verbal promises with dates on when to implement the salary adjustment but reneged in all. This has become a stock in trade for the government to hold us in bondage for ever.

16. Last year, an attempt by doctors to withdraw services was considered ill-timed as it was an election year and may be seen as a political move against the governor. Hence, we abandoned the idea.

17. After the election we had approached the government several times in writing but he would rather threaten us with sack or propose a committee that never released any white paper.

18. So early this year, in January, even before covid-19 became a local issue we decided to go on warning strike to get the attention of His Excellency, but all we got were intimidations, threats and finally another audio committee.

19. The new committee was set up again but never sat until we embarked on indefinite strike after 21 days. At this point the government asked us again to it call off but we insisted that it must show us evidence that it won't be business as usual.

20. At this juncture, His Excellency graciously gave us a written approval [ *Ref No GHS/57/S.2/III/270 and dated 26th March, 2020*] to pay the new salary effective from April 1, 2020 for which we rejoiced and immediately called off the strike in less than 24 hours.

21. He also promised to provide insurance cover for every health worker in the state which never saw the light of the day. Since that verbal promise was made, no document has been sighted to that regard.

22. To allude that the fear of covid-19 or political opposition was the reason for this struggle, is to hide behind a finger.

23. As for the timing; the issue of CONMESS, as stated earlier, dates back to 2009. You have rightly stated that we are in a Pandemic and it's being treated as Wartime and doctors being tagged *Frontliners*. If one who is conscripted into the army and assigned to a platoon to go execute an attack wakes up on the morning of the battle to realize that over half of his platoon members have deserted will you advice him or her to forge ahead with the orders of the commanding officer?
Certainly not for it will be suicide to do so.

The issue of the Corona virus might have taken us unawares but the issue of brain drain owing to poor remunerations has been festering over the years. Now they both act in synergy to dampen our resolve to forge ahead.

So, if this is not the time, I wonder when.

24. We believe that being reliable and trustworthy should be a mark of good leadership.

25. It pains our hearts that our patients are receiving the brunt but we have been pushed to the wall. Even the risks associated with the ravaging covid-19, is enough for the government to see that we are paid no less than our counterparts as a form of motivation to engage in this battle against the neo Corona virus.

26. We call on all well meaning sons and daughters of Enugu to call on the governor to do the needful to avoid prevetable loss of lives of our people

27. Please disregard any group or persons claiming to be new ARD and deceiving the public and government. They are the real enemies of the state.

To God be the glory.
Enugu is in the hands of God.

honestprofits:


So, if this is not the time, I wonder when.

24. We believe that being reliable and trustworthy should be a mark of good leadership.

25. It pains our hearts that our patients are receiving the brunt but we have been pushed to the wall. Even the risks associated with the ravaging covid-19, is enough for the government to see that we are paid no less than our counterparts as a form of motivation to engage in this battle against the neo Corona virus.

Tomorrow these same persons would come out to say "our government is insensitive".... Workers deserve their wages, Yes!

As the world stands today, it is all hands on deck, and y'all are comparing salaries with your counterparts.

Na we dey suffer ourselves for this country, the other day, it was ASUU on the beat.

Government pay up o. Health as it is now is more important than any other sector..