The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ondo State Chapter has lamented mass resignation of members from the state government’s workforce.
Data obtained from NMA shows that 105 doctors have left the state service in the last one year.
The Association in a press statement at the weekend, signed by the NMA State Chairman, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe and State Secretary, Dr. Olorunfemi Owa, blamed the trend on irregular and percentage payment of salaries by the state government.
NMA leadership pointed out that Some Departments in the State-owned Teaching Hospital, which could hitherto boast of between 6 and 8 Doctors are now left with 1 or 2 Doctors.
The statement reads:
“Consequential vacancies in the medical officer cadre need to he urgently filled. About 50 medical Doctors in this cadre have left the employment of the Hospital Management Board without replacement over the last few months.
“Yawning vacancies exist in the Resident Doctor and Consultant cadres at the Teaching Hospital. These have remained difficult to fill due to the haphazard safety payments.
“We have it on good records that about 105 medical doctors have resigned their employment from the Teaching Hospital in the last year alone.
“Ondo State has not been able to engage requisite numbers of House officers since 2019. This has made our work almost impossible because this group of Doctors have a peculiar role in Health service delivery,” NMA noted.