UCTH: Protesting Medical Interns were untruthful, unfair to management

BY: Our Admin

The Management of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital UCTH today, reacted to the public demonstration staged by a fraction of Medical Interns in the hospital.

The Interns demonstrated peacefully last week in the hospital and sponsored journalists to cover the demonstration as they protested the arrears of their monthly salaries owed them for six months by the hospital management.

Spokesman of the demonstrating group, Dr. Ifeanyi Kennedy told newsmen that “they have been to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme but he has never listened to or addressed them”.

However in an internal memo, signed by Mr. Ededet Eyoma, the Director of Administration in the hospital and posted in the hospital’s notice board and also circulated within the hospital community, he said, the demonstrating Interns were untruthful and unfair.

He explained that “over the last 3 months, Management has engaged with our Interns at the highest levels. This has included interactions between their representatives with the Chief Medical Director, the Chairman-Medical Advisory Committee and the Director of Administration.”

The statement continued, “On Wednesday, April 14th 2021, the Chief Medical Director also met the leaders of the Joint Health Unions (JOHESU) over the same matter. At each of those interactions, management took time to explain the issues and every step the authorities were taking to resolve them. The issue was placed before the Governing Board of the Hospital and the decisions taken faithfully implemented. At the time of the demonstration, the interns had received a fraction of their outstanding salaries based on what funds were released to the hospital. The demonstrating interns were therefore not being truthful when they claimed that the hospital management had not spoken with them”.

The message condemning the demonstration however expressed that the management empathizes with the interns over the difficulties they are facing and further explained that their grouse centered on non-payment of their emolument usually paid through the Non-Regular Personnel sub-head usually sent from the Federal Government.

“It is indeed unfortunate that a few misguided individuals decided against the advice of their protecting union- JOHESU to stage a demonstration. Please note that this faction of demonstrators did not include intern Nurses, Intern Laboratory Scientists and Intern Pharmacists who constitute the bulk of our Internship staff,” the statement emphasized.

Reaffirming the commitment of the hospital management to the welfare and well-being of the hospital staff members, including the Interns and the patients, the Director of administration cautioned the demonstrators to know that “Internship posts are training posts and the trainees must be found worthy in learning and in character before registration with their professional Councils.”