Industrial crises in a Tertiary Health Institution (THI) in Nigeria: The perspective of resident doctors

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The unceasing industrial crises (IC), especially strikes in Nigeria health sector have reawakened the need for urgent intervention by the Federal Government. We aimed to investigate causes of IC in a Tertiary Health Institution and explore the solutions to them.Methods: This was a descriptive analytical study conducted in the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Owerri, with 437 beds and 80% bed occupancy rate. It has two comprehensive health centers. The data were collected through multi-stage sampling technique; using questionnaires administered randomly to 126 out of the 252 resident doctors, and analyzed using the SPSS version 21 statistical software packages. Statistical analysis was carried out using simple frequencies and percentages.Results: One-hundred and twenty (95.2%) questionnaires were filled and returned with M/F of 2.7/1. Almost all agreed that the IC were frequent and can be stopped, and that the Federal government and management of hospitals were mainly responsible for them. About 26.5, 18.9, and 13.4% stated that administrative lapses, poor welfare packages, and delayed payment of salaries, respectively, were responsible for the crises. Most of the RD agreed that motivating, setting up committees, and prompt dialoguing were the best approaches to solving the IC.Conclusion: The causes of IC were administrative lapses, poor welfare packages, and delay in the payment of salaries, and the solution was by dialogue through setting up committees in the hospital.