…For past 12 years, only 94 doctors were employed, with 29 on casual contracts and no resident doctors hired.
….Citing staffing shortages as 3 doctors handle 300 GOPD patients, while 1 resident is responsible for 3 theaters and ICU management.
The Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL), formerly Federal Medical Center (FMC), may shut down unless drastic measures are taken immediately to address the acute shortage of Resident doctors.
Investigations have revealed that, aside from the general brain drain of medical doctors and other professionals leaving the country for greener pastures, the casualization of doctors, constant victimization, unpaid arrears, gross shortage of manpower, burnout syndrome, and unfriendly working environment allegedly motivate the constant exodus of doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja.
The situation was aggravated by the Federal Ministry of Health’s failure to utilise waivers to enable the Management of Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja to employ doctors to fill critical vacancies, amidst repeated accusations by the CMD FTHL against the Health Minister of refusing to grant waivers for employment, contrary to the President’s instruction to expedite waivers in the health sector.
Instead of using the waivers, Doctor Olatunde Alabi’s Management allegedly engaged doctors on locum (casual) and had them sign employment letters every three months, with some waiting over three years for confirmation.
The current Chief Medical Director, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, has presided over a substantial reduction in resident doctors, dropping from over 220 to 190 in 2020 and further declining to 94, thereby straining the hospital’s resources in meeting the secondary and tertiary healthcare demands of its numerous patients.
A reliable source reports that the hospital experienced a systematic resignation of doctors, dropping from over 220 residents before 2020 to 190, then 175 in 2021, 130 in 2022, and 110 in 2023, leaving only 94 doctors, including 29 locum staff, who face serious health hazards due to workload and unpaid minimum wage, hazard allowances, and wage awards.
Documents obtained by our correspondent reveal that the hospital’s doctor allocation is: 7 doctors in accident and emergency; 5 doctors each in anesthesia and dental; 13 doctors in family medicine and laboratory medicine; 2 doctors in ENT; and just 1 doctor for NHIS, catering to a large patient influx.
It was also gathered that out of 94 doctors, most of whom are on the verge of leaving their employment, 29 are on locum (casual) contracts, with some having spent over three years without secure employment or confirmation of permanent and pensionable appointments.
The source indicates that the mass resignation of doctors from the centre is possibly due to the CMD’s dictatorial management style, staff victimization, prevalence of casualized doctor positions, deficient infrastructure, and lack of motivational support.
He claimed that doctors are owed five years of minimum wage arrears, two years of hazard allowance, and 10 months of the recently introduced Wage Award by management.
” The situation is alarming, with A/E’s 8 beds insufficient; the remaining patients are placed outside in 10 bed spaces, and sometimes on the floor due to capacity constraints.”
” The administration has implemented a policy requiring patients to open folders before receiving attention, discontinuing credit facilities despite shortages of essential medications, non-functional generators, and inadequate central oxygen supply to patient beds.”
“This year, a 45-year-old patient admitted with uremic gastroenteritis passed away due to the unavailability of basic medications such as Paracetamol, Diacynol, Omeprazole, and antibiotics.”Speaking confidentially to avoid reprisal from the CMD, certain doctors voiced concerns regarding unsustainable workloads, recurring employment renewals, unaddressed arrears, pervasive victimization, difficult working conditions, restricted training opportunities for medical officers, substandard living quarters, shared rooms for house officers, and erratic essential services.
“Some doctors confirmed that their leaders took these issues to the Ministry of Health and officially reported them, but no action has been taken regarding employment waivers and unpaid arrears to date.”
Speaking confidentially to avoid reprisal from the CMD, certain doctors voiced concerns regarding unsustainable workloads, recurring employment renewals, unaddressed arrears, pervasive victimization, difficult working conditions, restricted training opportunities for medical officers, substandard living quarters, shared rooms for house officers, and erratic essential services.
They attributed the mass departure of doctors from the hospital to these and other problems, with many making last-minute preparations to exit, and urged Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health, to intervene promptly to prevent the hospital’s shutdown.
However, all efforts to reach the CMD, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, for comment were unsuccessful despite repeated calls and visits to his office.
