COOUTH resident doctors commence strike

Resident doctors at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) in Awka, Anambra State, have commenced a seven-day warning strike to demand overdue payments and better working conditions.

The strike was announced in a communique issued after an emergency meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), COOUTH chapter, on Wednesday. It is set to take effect from 12 noon on Thursday.

According to the communique signed by ARD President Dr. Joy Okwumuo and Secretary Dr. Chukwubuike Ifekudu, the industrial action follows repeated failed attempts to get the Anambra State government to pay the 100 per cent Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), promised from January 2025.

Other grievances listed by the doctors include non-payment of the upward-revised CONMESS salary structure, accoutrement, rural posting, specialist and teaching allowances, as well as accumulated arrears. The shortage of doctors, which has led to overworking of existing staff, was also cited.

“ARD COOUTH has engaged the government several times since the start of the year to secure the fulfilment of promises that led to the suspension of our previous strike in October 2024. Having waited over a year without positive response, we have regrettably resolved to commence industrial action,” the statement said.

The association called on hospital management, relevant stakeholders, and the public to urge the government to meet their demands promptly, warning that failure to do so could lead to indefinite strike action.

The doctors also stressed that resolution of these issues is crucial to prevent disruption of healthcare delivery in the state’s premier tertiary health institution.