The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL) chapter, once again called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, to investigate what they described as worsening conditions, facility decay, and inhumane treatment at the hospital before it reaches total collapse.
During a peaceful protest at the hospital premises on Friday, Dr. Olushola Baoku, the immediate past Chairman of ARD, decried the sharp decline in medical personnel, stating that the hospital, which once had 315 doctors, now struggles with only 43 due to poor working conditions.
Baoku revealed that many doctors are employed under precarious contracts, requiring renewal every two months, leaving them without pensions, promotions, hazard allowances, or even the minimum wage award.
“This category of doctors have no pension, no promotion, no hazard allowance, no minimum wage award, and they work in a harsh environment where hospital facilities are non-functional,” he lamented.
Despite federal government directives for the hospital management to clear outstanding salary arrears using internally generated revenue, Baoku claimed that significant debts remain unpaid.
“Some of our doctors have been renewing their contracts for over five years instead of being fully employed.
Since 2012, this hospital has not hired a single doctor or health worker, resulting in a critical manpower shortage across all units and departments,” he added.
The protesters also demanded the immediate reinstatement of their President, Dr. Jimoh Umar, who was suspended last year for his role in advocating for improved working conditions.
Baoku accused the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, of deliberately refusing to implement a ministerial directive for Dr. Umar’s reinstatement.
“The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, through the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Kachollom Shangti Daju, approved Dr. Umar’s reinstatement on December 12, 2024. The directive reached FTHL on January 11, 2025, yet the CMD has refused to act on it,” Baoku stated.
Quoting the Civil Service Rule, he emphasized that failure to process official directives constitutes misconduct, adding that all hospital staff, including the CMD, are bound by public service regulations.
The doctors also highlighted cases where patients died due to a lack of functional medical equipment.
“It was recorded that a hospital attendant, who had worked for over 20 years, died in the emergency unit simply because there was no electricity,” Baoku recounted.
He further alleged that medical personnel had been assaulted by frustrated relatives of critically ill patients when the hospital lacked the necessary facilities to provide emergency care.
“The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) cannot sustain a patient for even three hours due to inadequate equipment,” he said, adding that their suspended president had only demanded a “facelift” for the hospital but was met with persecution.
The ARD insisted that if immediate action is not taken, the hospital risks complete collapse.
They urged the federal government to intervene, enforce accountability, and restore effective healthcare services to the institution.
With the ongoing protests and unresolved grievances, the fate of both the hospital’s workforce and its patients remains uncertain.
