About 44 patients on admission in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital were on Monday forced to go home by the management of the hospital as the resident doctors downed their tools.

It was gathered that the hospital did not admit new patients unless in an emergency, which left many sick persons unattended to and stranded.

One of the matrons who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that over half of the patients have been discharged and asked to go home.

According to her, “Right now, we are not admitting any patients because of the strike. Over 44 patients have been asked to vacate the hospital as we can no longer cope.”

Few Medical Consultants on ground, however, declined to speak with our journalists when visited but many of the patients turned back from the main entrance were, however, advised by security men to go home.

A mother of two who identified herself as Katrina Obot, said she was given an appointment by one of the striking doctors for a surgery, lamenting that her condition could worsen if she does not get immediate medical attention.

She said, “I don’t know where to go now. I am just stranded, one of the doctors gave me an appointment for surgery, hoping to have it today but see what has happened.

“I did not know that the doctors will be on strike and my husband cannot afford the cost of private hospitals.”

However, Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, said the hospital has put in place emergency services to run throughout the strike, expressing hope that the strike would not last long.

“We are running emergency services; the clinics are still open. The consultants are on ground but they cannot attend to all patients because they are human beings. We are just hoping that the strike will not last long,” he said.