The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, has refuted claims of suspending night shifts or embarking on strike amidst the ongoing power outage at the institution, News About Nigeria reports.
In a statement issued by the President and General Secretary of the ARD, John Oladapo and Gboyega Ajibola, respectively, the association addressed misconceptions arising from media reports that suggested the ARD had suspended night shifts and initiated a strike action.
The clarification came in response to directives from the Joint Action Committee, a coalition of all hospital unions except the ARD and the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria at the UCH.
The committee had instructed its members to reduce their work schedule to protest against the disconnection of the hospital’s power supply by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over alleged unpaid electricity bills totaling N495 million.
Contrary to the perception created by some media reports, the ARD said that its members remained dedicated to their duties and had not suspended night shifts or embarked on strike action.
The association noted that the prolonged power outage had affected patient care and healthcare delivery at the hospital.
“It has been widely reported that the IBEDC disconnected the power supply to the UCH due to a billing disagreement. As a result, patient care has been hampered, healthcare delivery has become suboptimal, and there has been an increased risk of hazard to all the hospital’s health workers.
The ARD expressed solidarity with all health workers at the UCH and called for public understanding and support in addressing the underlying issues contributing to the subpar working conditions at the hospital.
