21 staff of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were on Saturday involved in a ghastly auto crash on Ewu slop, on the Benin-Auchi Highway.
The hospital staff, who are members of the striking Joint Health Staff UNION (JOHESU) were on their way to attend a burial ceremony in Auchi when the accident occurred.
It was gathered that the bus they were travelling in had brake failure, causing it to collide another bus in their front.
18 of them reportedly sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the Accident and Emergency ward of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua-Edo State, where they were been treated.
The Chief Medical Director of ISTH Dr. Sylvanus Okogbeni said despite the JOHESU strike, a team of medical doctors were on hand to provide quick and maximum care to the accident victims.
He said the strike by the JOHESU staff would not affect medical care for the victims and other patients at the hospital, as a team of doctors have been deployed to perform duties of the striking health workers.
The chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Esteem Tega said the Hospital was working at full capacity despite the striking non doctors staff.
The secretary of JOHESU, ISTH chapter, Comrade Aigbokhaivbo Uwaifo said he put a call to some nurses and some other relevant staff to provide support to ensure adequate care was given to the victims, who are JOHESU members at UBTH.
