Patients in tertiary health institutions in Cross River State are now leaving hospitals in droves.
The Chairman, Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals and Medical Centres, Prof Thomas Agan regretted the strike action embarked upon by JOHESU.
He said on Friday, “But with this strike, the ward is about 75% empty compared to what is used to be because there has never been a time where the ward has not been less than 80% filled.
As I’ve always said, it’s unfortunate. It’s a strike that is arising out of demand of improved welfare of the health worker.
“It is true that JOHESU had placed demands on the federal government and I am aware that they had an MoU which was to be executed either fully or partly and as I’m made to understand, none of the conditions was adhered to by the government.
He said that JOHESU went out on strike because of anger that the government seems not to be listening to them. “It’s unfortunate that many people will lose their lives both old and young.
“Very unfortunate and I sincerely regret and feel bad that the health sector is being paralyzed because of welfare matters. It’s just the major operations that we cannot carry out right now.
He said that a lot of patients have requested to go home and you cannot keep the patients because if anything goes wrong, he has the right to sue.
On revenue, the CMD lamented that revenue in the hospital has crashed, “Definitely revenue has crashed beyond what you are expecting because you know even those who are supposed to make bills and bring the revenue in have to go on strike. It’s an unfortunate situation.
“At my own level which is the committee of CMDs, we feel pained that this matter is still lingering because at the end of it, we are the ones who are sitting at the border.
“At the end of the day, government will ask us what did you do, how did you manage the situation and what happened.
“We will continue to work with the government to ensure that all lingering issues in the health sector are handled. All we need to do is to trust one another, have respect for one another and also for human lives.
“The lives we are protecting may be our own lives, and like I always tell people, the death of one person may mean zero percent to the nation but it can mean 100 percent to the family directly involved,” he stated.
