Benue Teaching Hospital orders striking Resident Doctors to vacate quarters

Resident Doctors at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi, have appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia to intervene in the ongoing industrial dispute at the facility, over a month after they began their strike.

Led by their President, Kawen Pededoo, the doctors made the appeal during a press briefing at the hospital, highlighting several demands, including improvements to living conditions within the institution.

In response, BSUTH’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Stephen Hwande, issued a three-month notice instructing the striking Resident Doctors to vacate their residential quarters to allow for a major renovation exercise.

The hospital, under Governor Alia’s administration, aims to transform into a one-stop medical centre that meets international standards.

However, repeated strikes by Resident Doctors have continued to disrupt hospital operations and slow progress toward this goal.

Key grievances raised by the doctors include inadequate accommodation and welfare provisions.

While the doctors insist that some of these challenges have persisted for years, Dr. Hwande noted that certain demands were only recently brought to the management’s attention.

Despite the ongoing standoff, the Resident Doctors acknowledged the efforts of the state government so far and expressed hope that the governor’s intervention would bring the strike to a resolution, helping to reposition BSUTH as a world-class medical institution.