Ondo Resident Doctors Protest Assaults, Demand Improved Security at FMC Akure Annex
Ondo Resident Doctors Protest Assaults, Demand Improved Security at FMC Akure Annex
……No Gate,No security, we are no longer safe here – medical Cries…….
Members of the Association of Resident Doctors in Ondo State on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to express their concerns over the increasing cases of assaults on healthcare workers and the growing insecurity at the Akure Annex of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo.
The doctors, who marched within the hospital premises carrying placards with various inscriptions, called on the hospital management to urgently improve security measures, including the installation of a proper iron gate and the deployment of armed security personnel to safeguard staff and patients.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the President of the Association, Dr. Adeola Oluwadamilola, lamented that doctors were being forced to work under difficult and hostile conditions despite their commitment to providing quality healthcare services.
According to him, the association is unhappy that it has been compelled to embark on industrial action at a time when its members should be attending to patients and fulfilling their professional responsibilities.
“We are not happy being on strike at this moment when we ought to be caring for the sick. Many of our colleagues work round the clock, sometimes for a full day or even an entire week under harsh conditions, yet they continue to ensure that quality healthcare services are delivered to the people,” he said.
Dr. Oluwadamilola noted that assaults on doctors and other healthcare workers have become a recurring issue, a trend the association strongly condemns.
He stressed the need for the hospital management and relevant authorities to take decisive action against perpetrators while also sensitising members of the public on the dangers and consequences of attacking healthcare workers.
Speaking on the challenges facing the health sector, the president linked the ongoing brain drain, popularly known as the “Japa” syndrome, to insecurity and poor working conditions in Nigeria.
According to him, many healthcare professionals are leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad, resulting in a severe shortage of manpower in the nation’s health sector.
People are no longer interested in working in Nigeria as health practitioners. When they see what their colleagues earn abroad and compare it with the conditions here, many prefer to leave. We are seriously battling a shortage of workforce,” he stated.
Dr. Oluwadamilola further revealed that one of the doctors at the Akure Annex was recently assaulted, an incident that prompted the protest and the association’s renewed demand for enhanced security.
He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for attacking healthcare workers and urged the management of FMC Owo to move beyond promises and take concrete steps toward improving security infrastructure.
We can no longer work in an environment where our safety is not guaranteed. We are demanding armed security personnel and a well structured iron gate. The management has made promises, but we need action so our members can feel safe while carrying out their duties,” he added.
The association also urged the management of FMC Owo to prioritise the safety and welfare of all workers, particularly at a time when insecurity remains a major challenge across the country.
Dr. Oluwadamilola declared that assaults against healthcare workers would no longer be tolerated under any circumstances.
As part of the protest, members of the association engaged patients and members of the public in awareness campaigns, educating them on the dangers of assaulting healthcare workers and the proper channels for lodging complaints against medical personnel.
The doctors repeatedly chanted, “All We Are Saying Is No More Assault,” while urging the public to support efforts aimed at creating a safer healthcare environment.
Also speaking, a Senior Medical Officer and member of the association, Dr. Aragbaye, expressed concern over the rising number of attacks on medical personnel.
She highlighted the poor state of security infrastructure at the facility, particularly the unprotected gate, which she said allows unauthorised persons and miscreants easy access to the hospital premises.
The situation has become alarming. The condition of the gate gives miscreants free access into the hospital, making it difficult for healthcare workers to operate peacefully. We are calling on the management to act now before the situation gets out of control,” she warned.
The protesting doctors maintained that ensuring the safety of healthcare workers is essential for effective healthcare delivery and called on all stakeholders to support measures that would protect medical personnel from harassment, intimidation, and physical attacks.
