Dr. Joy Okwumuo, President of ARD-COOUTH
Resident doctors at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) have called on the hospital management to urgently address staffing gaps and improve working conditions, warning that shortages are straining services and undermining patient care.
Speaking ahead of their Annual General Meeting and elections, ARD-COOUTH President Joy Okwumuo urged management to recruit and replace consultants, resident doctors, and house officers to reduce workload and prevent burnout.
She highlighted unpaid specialist allowances, noting that colleagues in other southeastern states had received theirs, deepening doctors’ frustration at COOUTH.
Members also raised concerns about poor call-room conditions, inadequate recruitment, and substandard living quarters without water or electricity. They condemned the recent physical assault of a member, criticising management’s response and warning that further incidents could trigger industrial action.
To enhance operational efficiency, the association announced plans to acquire a bus for official duties, conferences, and community outreach.
The doctors stressed that without urgent intervention, morale, training quality, and service delivery could deteriorate further. COOUTH resident doctors had previously staged a seven-day warning strike in September over similar grievances.
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