by crossriverwatch admin
Striking Resident Doctors at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital have started drifting back to work giving strong indications that the strike may be officially called off soon.
CrossRiverWatch over heard some of the doctors chatting excitedly amongst themselves on the prospects of formally returning to work as soon as there are strong indications that they would be paid the backlog of their salaries and other benefits.
One of the resident doctors who did not want his name disclosed stated that they are strong hopes that their backlog of “salaries and entitlements could be handy at the end of this month”.
According to him, “We have seen strong signs that management of UCTH may pay our salaries at the end of November 2013. Once that is done we shall fully return to work and the hospital will bubble again”, he said.
Meanwhile, the staff nurses and other medical staff of the hospital were all jubilant following receipt of their pay slips and promotions on Monday.
Chairman of the UCTH Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Agam Ayuk had vowed that the doctors will continue the strike until their allowances and salaries were paid despite the position of its national body.
Ayuk stressed that budgetary allocation of N20m annually to the hospital for training of doctors was grossly inadequate.
Ayuk added that a task force set up by the Federal Government to look into the discrepancies discovered that the hospital was not well funded.
“The task force was here during the week and we gathered that the hospital was not given enough funds. Based on the issue, we decided to continue with the local strike until these salaries are paid. Until they do that, we will not be returning to work,” he said.
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