JUBA – Hundreds of patients were on Monday stranded at Juba Teaching Hospital after medical staff and interns laid down their tools demanding three months’ salary arrears clearance.
This comes after the 72-hour ultimatum given by doctors elapsed. Last week medical staff mainly from the inpatients’ wards and consultation released a statement saying they have not received their salaries for the last three months.
They also complained of lack of accommodation and feeding, lack of incentives, and personal protective equipment.
According to the Department of Accident and Emergency, the hospital lacks dumping equipment for used material such as gloves, face masks, and medical apparatus.
The 72 hours elapsed last Sunday and on Monday several patients were left stranded after the doctors decided to lay down their tools.
Moses Ladu, a resident of Gudele West said he was surprised when he took his father for treatment at the hospital and the doctors were unwilling to attend to them.
He said his father was suffering from an injury on his right leg which he sustained in a motor accident last Sunday.
“I brought my father here since Sunday, I have been waiting for the doctor to come and attend to him but up to now no doctor has come and we don’t know what is happening,” Ladu told City Review when the reporter visited the hospital on Monday.
One of the striking doctors who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals said the sit-down strike was meant to make the public know the challenges facing the medical staff at the Juba Teaching Hospital.
The source said there is a need to get the right solution from the government through the administration of the hospital.
Some of the clinical officers claimed the hospital was getting a lot of money from the patients who always come to get services from them and yet the administration does not meet their demands.
When reached by the City Review, the hospital’s director for the Incident and Emergency Department—where the nurses and clinical officers are attached— told the reporter to get approval from the Director-General of Juba Teaching Hospital before granting him an interview.