LUTH Crisis: Workers urge FG to intervene

Workers of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, have appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the poor management of the tertiary health institution.

The workers made the call on Friday in Lagos at an all-workers’ congress jointly organised by unions in the hospital.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the unions included the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and Association of Resident Doctors, among others.

Also at the meeting were some state and national executives of the various unions to demonstrate support for their members in LUTH.

Some union leaders who spoke at the forum said the workers were tired of the hospital management style and urged government to urgently intervene to avert labour crisis.

Chairman, NANNM, LUTH branch, Mrs. Yemisi Adelaja, said the congress was held to reaffirm all their agitations that had been made known to the government.

“Government should please answer us; we are ready to work, but with the plight we are facing in LUTH, it has become difficult.

“Without enough materials to work and the hostile environment, workers are saying, ‘We are tired.’

“The relationship with the management is not cordial; that is why we are seeking government’s intervention for LUTH to regain its past glory,’’ she said.

Also, Chairman, SSANU, LUTH chapter, Mr. Johnson Adetokunbo, appealed to the Federal Government to address issues of victimisation and oppression by the management of the tertiary hospital.

Adetokunbo said workers were tired of the uncompromising and suppressible attitude of the present management towards the health workers.

“We are saying ‘No more to suppression and victimisation of workers, which has made the environment not conducive for us to work in.

“We are not demanding anything other than for this foremost institution to meet up with standards that can be compared with any hospital around the world.”

Speaking in the same vein, the ARD President, Dr. Adebayo Sekumade, called for government’s intervention in restructuring the institution, stating that it was in a state of decay.

“We are crying out to the government to come and intervene in this issue that has been going on in LUTH; we are tired of the decay that is happening here.

“We are saying that LUTH should not be allowed to collapse because if there is no immediate intervention, we are headed for a total collapse.

“LUTH is serving thousands of Nigerians and this is why the government should take necessary actions by creating solutions that will meet the demands of LUTH workers,” he said.

Source: (NAN)