About 150 medical doctors have resigned from the Ondo State public service in the last one year over unpaid salaries by the state government.
The state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) disclosed this while raising alarm over the massive resignation of its members from the government’s workforce.
According to the group, 150 doctors left the state’s service in the last one year.
In a statement, signed by the NMA State Chairman, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe, and State Secretary, Dr. Olorunfemi Owa, the exodus of the doctors from the workforce was due to the trend of irregular and percentage payment of salaries by the state government.
The association revealed that some departments in the state-owned teaching hospital, which could hitherto boast of between six and eight doctors, are now left with either one or two doctors.
The association also stressed that with the situation, it would be impossible for the hospital to function at a minimum acceptable level.
“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.
“It is troubling to note that only three house officers are left in the service of the Ondo State Government across the three senatorial zones,” it said.
