GENESIS OF CRISIS BETWEEN ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD) AND MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWO.

ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS,
FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWO.
GENESIS OF CRISIS BETWEEN ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD) AND MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWO.
In 2009, after the Federal Government approved CONMESS for Doctors, the management tried to put an end to the rural allowance that has being enjoyed from the inception of the hospital in 1994. The agitations and unrest which followed forced the management to recommence the rural allowance. Unfortunately, in 2011, the salaries and wages commission also tried to stop the rural allowance but withdrew following a national strike in which the issue of teaching allowance was also focal. Our management however failed to recommence the said allowance on grounds of financial difficulties thereby inducing another industrial action during which our association was able to prove beyond all doubt that there was indeed more than sufficient money to pay the allowance and confirming the insincerity of the management. After being exposed, the management then agreed to the pay the rural allowance and its arrears and from then on embarked on victimization campaign with refusal to employ more doctors to replace those that are leaving the centre, in a bid to get back at us by ensuring we are overworked. This was extended openly to anyone remotely related to any member of the association. Even an issue as basic as allowing interesed medical officers with requisite qualifications to commence residency training is being used as an opportunity to victimize our colleagues.
A hospital which had no less than 205 doctors in 2009 presently has about 143 in the Medical Officer/Resident/House Officer cadre. Departments such as Surgery which had close to 20 doctors can only boast of 6 sidents. Pathology previously with six Medical officers now has two, Medicine had sixteen now has only seven amongst others. However, the personnel in the administrative department have been increasing in number (without any interview being conducted for any of them) at the expense of clinical departments. Recently in some departments, residents could not go for exams because they missed vital postings while serving in a posting of limited relevance to their training. It is worthy of note that FMC Ido Ekiti has 90 Specialist Consultant as against 41 in Owo, 120 house officers as against  42 in Owo and over 250 Residents/Medical Officers as against 104 in FMC Owo. When repeated appeals to the management to replace the doctors who have left kept falling on deaf ears, the association proceeded on a 3-day warning strike that was immediately suspended after 36hours on account of agreements reached with management on the 6th of August, 2012 to employ more doctors before the end of August 2012.
The Management however reneged on this agreement, thereby causing the association to proceed on an indefinite withdrawal of service at exactly 4pm on Thursday 8th Nov, 2012. The Management responded to this by harassing members of the association with policemen armed with assorted guns, sealed off the Doctors' lounge and terminated the appointment of eight house officers for partaking in the strike action giving them a 24hours quit notice from their quarters. A circular threatening to sac the Resident doctors/Medical officers was also released. The Management then moved on to falsely accuse two of our members and a consultant of pilfering hospital equipment. After it was clarified that the instruments in question does not belong to the hospital, the Management still went ahead to publish this false accusations in the national dailies.  
It is pertinent to note that the Medical Director has incessantly bragged about having the backing of the Presidency, Minister of Health permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health as well as upper and Lower legislative houses. In view of the above, it is quite clear that the safety of members of the association cannot be guaranteed under the leadership of the present Medical Director. We kindly thus request that you assist in assuring the safety of our members and bring lasting peace to FMC Owo.


DR. J.E AJUONU       Dr. M.E. Ugboya
President ARD, FMC,Owo       Assist.-Secretary, ARD, FMC, Owo