The University College Hospital administration in Ibadan, Oyo State, issued a stern caution to its staff, including physicians, on Wednesday, with emphasis on the importance of fulfilling night shifts, nothing that neglecting duty assignments poses an individual risk.
Speaking on behalf of the Joint Action Committee, hospital staff announced to reporters on Tuesday their decision to halt night shifts following the disconnection of power supply by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company due to purported outstanding electricity bills amounting to N495m.
JAC Chairman, Oladayo Olabampe, declared that the workers opted to reduce their operational hours until power restoration, indicating a revised schedule of working solely from 8 am to 4 pm.
In addition, the workers hinted at the possibility of a seven-day strike if the hospital’s power is not reinstated before Tuesday, April 9.
However, during individual discussions with journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday, there was a discrepancy between the statements made by the JAC Chairman and the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, ‘Funmi Adetuyibi, regarding the proposed reduction in activities.
While the JAC Chairman said there was no going back on the 8 am – 4 pm work hours, the UCH spokesman insisted that the arrangement would not work.
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The JAC Chairman said, “We have started since yesterday (Tuesday) and we are not going back. The workers took this decision due to a power outage in the hospital. So, with this development, no one would be available to attend to patients in the evening at UCH.
“We would have even started since but we were only considering the condition of the patients who might fall victim to this.
“Up till now, light has not been restored. So, we have scaled down our activities. We are to work between 8 am and 4 pm every day. We have said that if the light is not restored as of yesterday (Tuesday), we will scale down our activities and we have done that since yesterday. That is the latest. We are now in the third week.”
But while responding, the PRO, Adetuyibi, said, “The hospital work is still running 24 hours. Those on the morning shift have done their work and left, the afternoon workers are currently on duty while those on night duty will soon come around to do their own work. Those on call are also doing their work.
“The management has written a letter to the union that they don’t want anything like down-scaling of working hours. Everybody should face his or her work. Everybody should be at their duty posts. Doctors are attending to our patients from outside; they are also attending to those in various wards in the hospital. They are attending to them in the morning, afternoon, night and even in the midnight. So, nothing like down-scaling of working hours.
The management relayed to departmental leaders that any staff member neglecting to attend their designated duty stations does so at their own risk.