By Ifeoma Ikem
The Medical Guild demand urgent replacement of over six hundred doctors exits from the service of the Lagos State Government to avoid the imminent crisis in the state’s health sector.
The Guild chairman , Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo,pointed out that an estimated 2,650 doctors were insufficient to cater for over 20million population of Lagos State.
Sodipo said this during a press briefing in Lagos. “On average, one to three doctors leave the service of the Lagos State Government every month. It is, indeed, worrisome that in the last two years, over 600 doctors had left the employment of the state government without being replaced.
According to him, “this had led to an astronomical increase in workload and pressure, especially when juxtaposed with the increase in the scope of medical services and continuous increase in the population of the state,” said he.
The Medical Guild Chairman added that the shortage of doctors in the state was affecting the quality of care being given to the patients.
He said the guild was aware of the Lagos State governor’s approval of mass employment into the health and education sectors but said this had yet to commence in the health sector.
Sodipo added that the Guild would meet on January 31 to decide on the next line of action, if the Lagos State Government failed to yield to its request.
Also urged relevant agencies to expedite action on the employment of more doctors and other health care workers as approved by the state governor to avoid plunging the health care sector into crisis.
He expressed concern about the increasing incidence of physical and verbal assault on doctors by patients, saying the guild believes that the issue was a fallout of shortage of doctors.
Sodipo decried the current trend of assault on doctors saying that it has taking a dangerous turn and can only lead to further resignation of doctors due to fear of safety while at work. “we believe that on no account should any body be assaulted, more so healthcare practitioners including doctors.
“the medical guild expects the government to prosecute perpetrators of this abominable act of assault and stop the usual practice of accepting apologies by perpetrators once the dastardly act has been committed.
Also the former chairman of the Guild, Dr Babajide Saheed, appealed to the state government to fulfill its promises of employing and improving the welfare of health care workers because health of our people is the wealth of state.
According to him, the pressure of workload is causing conflict between senior and junior doctors in the state.