According to doctors, the shutdown, which affects both public and private institutions, is indefinite.
Doctors barricaded the main gate of Government House Umuahia last week, demanding prompt payment of salary arrears.
The physicians reiterated their earlier warning to close all hospitals in the state and go on indefinite strike if the government refused to meet their demands.
However, the doctors who came out in force, screaming solidarity songs for their injured colleagues, were ignored by the government, since no government official greeted or attended to them.
Dr Daniel Ekeleme, State Secretary of the Nigeria Medical Association, commented on the development, saying that the strike was total and indefinite.
He stated that it has already received 98% compliance at the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia due to doctors' absence.
The NMA Scribe stated that doctors in the state would support the measure until the government took action.
He did, however, state that the situation will be reassessed as events progressed.
Meanwhile, at several of the private hospitals visited by our correspondent in Umuahia, just skeletal services were provided.
Patients were seen voicing their displeasure with the situation.
Mr Emeka Ibe, who was visiting a relative at one of the town's hospitals, asked the government to quickly address the demands of the striking doctors in order to avoid a health-care crisis.
"It's a total disaster. The government should compensate them. "The government should not wait till people die like fowls," he remarked.
(Vanguard)
(Source: centurypost.com.ng)
