Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) witnessed a major disruption on Tuesday as patients were discharged en masse due to the ongoing doctors’ strike, now in its second day.
With services largely shut down and many wards deserted, only critical patients remained, receiving limited attention from the few nurses still on duty according to The Nation.
“Several wards at LASUTH were deserted, with red ribbons tied across entrances to indicate restricted access. Only critical patients remained on admission, attended to by nurses still on duty.”
However, this relief may be short-lived, as nurses in the state have announced plans to begin their own strike today, the report revealed.
One nurse, who declined to be named, revealed: “We are even starting our own strike this night. We deserve many remuneration benefits, which we are not getting.”
Another nurse on duty confirmed the development, which threatens to compound the health care crisis already gripping the state’s public hospitals.
On Monday, the Medical Guild, the umbrella body for doctors in the state government’s employ, had embarked on a three-day warning strike to protest salary-related grievances.
The doctors alleged “illegal and disrespectful” deductions from their July salaries and the continued non-payment of 12 months’ arrears to honorary consultants under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
As reported by The Nation, a visit to LASUTH on Monday also revealed empty wards and frustrated patients, some of whom said they were asked to return home, as no doctors were available to attend to them.
“I brought my mother for a follow-up, but we were told to come back next week. There are no doctors,” said one patient’s relative at the out-patient department.
In a post on its official X handle on Monday, the Medical Guild reiterated its directive for members to fully comply with the strike, warning of sanctions for defaulters.
However, the Lagos State Ministry of Health has responded to the ongoing strike, acknowledging the concerns raised by the medical professionals.
The ministry also emphasized its commitment to finding a resolution and encouraged the Medical Guild to re-engage in dialogue. It stressed that the wellbeing of the public remains a top priority and called for a swift return to negotiations to restore normalcy in the health sector.
