Kogi: FMC doctors embark on strike over ‘threat to lives’

Following an attack by suspected political thugs on Wednesday, doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, have embarked on an indefinite strike.

Rising from a meeting on Wednesday, the doctors said that the action was necessitated by the prevailing insecurity foisted on the centre by armed thugs and the poor management of COVID-19 pandemic by the Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration.

In a communique announcing the strike and signed by seven health workers’ associations, they expressed regret that aside the violent attack on workers, all vital equipment needed for their day-to-day work had been carted away by the hoodlums.

The union leaders said they were totally withdrawing services across the board pending when their grievances are met.

They also demanded adequate provision of personal protective equipment for their members as a precondition for calling off the strike.

Part of their demands also include the validation of COVID-19 status of the Accident and Emergency Unit staff, who were on self-isolation, expansion of triangle points and provision of testing facilities (PCR machine).