The Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, medical doctors and health workers, on Tuesday, suspended the strike embarked upon on Monday, January 15.

The action was to protest the reported assault on some medical and health personnel of the facility on duty.

They were reportedly attacked on Monday by suspected hoodlums, who accused them of negligence, which they claimed led to the death of the father of one of them.

The chief medical director of the hospital, Kayode Olabanji, announced at a meeting with the union leaders that at least twenty people, allegedly involved in the ugly act, had been arrested by the police.

According to him, the suspects are already writing statements at the police station and will be charged in court soon.

Mr Olabanji commended the unions for their understanding and timely suspension of the strike in the interest of patients needing medical attention.

He said security issues were one of the reasons for the menace of brain drain (Japa) in the country, adding that the hospital management would do everything possible to ensure a safe and conducive environment for workers.

Mr Olabanji thanked all the people and security agencies that worked hard to restore normalcy in the hospital.

The president of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors, EKSUTH chapter, Famous Adeyemi, said the relevant unions met and agreed to suspend the strike.

Mr Adeyemi directed the workers to resume work while the management continued to attend to other demands by the unions.

He said no one should take the law into their hands and attack health workers or engage in the vandalism of government facilities.

He appealed to the state House of Assembly to enact a law prohibiting attacks on health workers while delivering healthcare services to the people. 

(NAN)