By; Odeyemi Samuel, Akure.
Health Workers in Ondo state Tuesday paralysed all activities in all Government facilities to protest non payment of five months salaries.
The workers in their hundred including Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Laboratorists, Records officers gathered at The Specialist Hospital Ondo with different placards and leave branches changing solidarity songs.
The health workers who abandoned their various duty posts carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Pay our salaries ” “shall we die before you pay us” “we are saving life pay our salaries and safe us from hunger”
Some of them who spoke with our correspondent said lives had become so unbearable as they can no longer feed their families due to their unpaid salaries while the men said they could longer be the good husbands at home again.
Some Doctors and Nurses from Mother and child hospitals and trauma center said despite their professional contributions to the medical village which had accorded it international recognition, the state government had refused to pay their wages.
The workers later moved enmass to the palace as they chanted solidarity songs to the paramount ruler of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo to further express their grievances
Addressing the worried health workers, Oba Kiladejo explained that he felt their pains and discomforts and he will discuss with the state governor on how to find a quick solution so as to pay their salaries.
Some of the patients who had come to Mother and Child and General Hospital were left to their fate as their were no health workers to attend to them including the emergency units at various hospitals in the town.
The workers however vowed to continue the protest until their five months salaries are paid.
