Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan have begun an indefinite strike, an official confirmed on Monday.
Dr. Uthman Adedeji, the General Secretary of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, that the strike was a result of a power outage affecting some of the hospital’s residential areas.
NAN recalls that the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) restored power to UCH on Wednesday after more than 100 days of an extended power outage.
The association had previously issued a statement warning that an indefinite strike would commence if power was not restored by 4 p.m. on Monday.
Adedeji noted that while electricity had been partially restored, only some parts of the residential quarters had been reconnected.
He explained, “Following the recently concluded Emergency General Meeting of ARD UCH, which was convened to assess the current situation, it was observed that only part of the residential quarters had been reconnected. Unfortunately, other areas remain without power.”
“In light of this, we have no option but to proceed with the previously planned indefinite strike until all residential quarters are fully addressed,” Adedeji added. “We appreciate the efforts of the UCH Management to meet our demands, but much more needs to be done to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.”
Adedeji assured that the association would continue to monitor the situation and review the ongoing challenges affecting its members’ welfare.
