University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital(UITH), chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors has raised alarm over what its described as precarious condition under which its members work, thereby leading to resumption of its suspended strike.

Addressing press conference in Ilorin, capital of Kwara State, the association’s President, Dr Ade Faponle said the association resumed its suspended strike due to the management’s insensitivity to their plight.

He listed epileptic electricity supply, lack of potable water among others, as the problems they were confronted with both in the clinics and Doctors’ quarters.

The situation under which they work according to the president was so appalling, calling for the quick intervention from the Federal Government in the interest of the patients and the public that would access healthcare.

Faponle who expressed sadness over what they were passing through in the tertiary health institution, also complained of non- implementation of the Federal Government’s circular, accusing the management of being selective about the implementation.

Corroborating the President’s points, the former President of the union, Dr Oyinlola Oluwagbemiga stressed that the strike action was avoidable but insensitivity of the management to their plight informed the action.

His words:”The strike action is regrettable because of the innocent patient but it seems the management is not sensitive to our plight. To carry out surgery here is difficult because of the epileptic power supply. We are being handicapped a times to do what ought have done”.

He also alleged that the hospital’s management had slashed their salaries since January 2016 by almost 40 per cent.

The association while accusing the management of intimidating its members , cautioned it against employing such means, saying that its door was open for negotiation and dialogue.

Reacting to the allegation, the Director, administration, Alhaji Ganiyu Yusuf dismissed the allegations, saying that the issue of epileptic power supply was a peculiar problem all over the country.

He explained further that the management did not fold its arms but strived to exploit other means to improve electricity supply.

He told newsmen that the management purchased 500KVA and 350KVA generating set, disclosing that the management expended N16million on monthly basis apart from the N3million Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s(IBEDC) monthly bill.

On the issue of slashing of the Doctors’ salaries, the director administration, stressed that the management could not have slashed salaries of the doctors since salaries were paid directly from the federation account, but the problem had to do with budgetary provision, as the Ministry of health was already working on it.

Some relatives of patients in the hospital who spoke with The Herald appealed to the striking doctors and the Hospital management to sort out their differences in the interest of the patients.