By Tinuade Salami
Among other burning issues, the medical doctors working in Ogun state government hospitals
have on Wednesday, protested over what they termed ‘gross shortage of medical personnel in the
state.
The doctors, under the umbrella of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ogun State chapter,
stormed the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office, carrying placards with various inscriptions, chanting
solidarity songs.
Nigeria Medical Association chairman, Ogun State, Dr. Abayomi Olajide who led the protest,
said on behalf of the protesting members that they were at the office of the governor to register
their grievances especially over the dearth of medical staff in the state.
According to him, health sector in the state was being faced with many challenges among which
were shortage of manpower, capacity building, recruitment of doctors and other health workers,
infrastructural development and welfare package.
He particularly bemoaned shortage of manpower in state government hospitals noting the ratio of
doctors to patients is overly low.
Dr. Abayomi noted that the NMA Ogun had not yet received any of the political campaign
promises made to the association by the Governor during his campaign in 2011 despite the
massive support given to the Governor upon his ascension into office in 2011.
He said the association was seriously concerned with the level of infrastructural decay, ranging
from dilapidated structures, obsolete equipment and poor drug supply chain.
Olajide stated that the number of health workers in Ogun State was abysmally poor and that they
had less than 150 doctors manning over 40 health institutions in the state, adding that it was half
the population of the doctors manning Federal Medical Centre, FMC.
The Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, while addressing the
protesters said that the state government was aware of the challenges facing the doctors and the
need to do more.
He assured them that government will invite them in the next 30 days for more consultations to
proffer solutions.