Resident Doctors Protest Over Staff Shortage in FTHL

Resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, FTHL staged a protest on Monday, 27th of January, 2025.

They demanded the recruitment of more medical staff and the reinstatement of their suspended president, Dr. Jimoh Umar.

The protest which took place within the hospital premises had the doctors expressing concerns over excessive workload due to a shortage of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers in the hospital.

Former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Kogi State, Dr. Olushola Baoku, said the hospital’s staff shortage was self-inflicted and not caused by the “Japa syndrome.”

Baoku urged the hospital management to advertise and recruit more medical personnel immediately. He appealed to the Minister of Health to grant waivers for recruitment.

He stressed that the protesting doctors would not accept any form of victimisation for demanding their rights. They called for fairness and accountability from the hospital management.

The doctors demanded full functionality of critical hospital departments, including Accident and Emergency, X-ray, ICU, and Dialysis Unit, in line with the government’s healthcare agenda.

They also called for the immediate implementation of the Federal Government’s directive for the reinstatement of their suspended president, as approved by the Minister of Health.

Dr. Umar, was suspended in 2024 for actions taken as a union leader. The doctors had previously written several letters of complaint to government authorities without success.

They warned that continued inaction could negatively affect healthcare services and urged authorities to address their concerns.