Medical Association Begins 5-day Warning Strike in Nasarawa State

Nasarawa State Council of the Nigeria Medical Association NMA, begins a five-day warning strike after the expiration of the three weeks ultimatum issued to the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the association had, on June 13 issued a three weeks ultimatum over welfare issues concerning their members.

The NMA Chairman in the state, Dr. Peter Attah made the disclosure while briefing newsmen today in Lafia.

According to him, the decision to embark on the strike was taken at an emergency meeting of the association on Tuesday.

The chairman said he explained to the congress a previous meeting with the delegation of the government led by Dr Emmanuel Akabe, the Deputy Governor, on two occasions but no serious commitment allegedly came from the government.

He explained that the association had met with government representatives twice after the ultimatum on June 13, but according to him, the government is only paying lip service and was not serious about meeting the NMA’s demands.

He added that after hearing the updates, the congress unanimously agreed that members should withdraw their services in all the state government-owned facilities from 8:00 am today, July 5 to 8:00 am on Monday, July 10.

He said if by Monday, July 10,  the government still refuses to meet their demands, the association will call for a congress meeting and decide on the next line of action.

He listed some of their demands to include: non-implementation of promotions for doctors and annual salary increment for over nine years, non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

Others are: non-implementation of the reviewed hazard allowance circular and the accrued 19 months arrears, high burden of taxation, inadequate manpower and overworking.

According to him, the association had given the state government enough time to address their demands but the government seems insensitive to their plight.

He revealed further that 88 medical doctors left the service of the state in 2023 alone due to poor welfare package.

He further explained that the shortage of doctors is putting so much pressure on the few ones who have decided to stay, to the extent that doctors now prefer to work in rural areas than facilities in urban areas.

He explained that the 19 general hospitals in the state have only 33 doctors which he described as grossly inadequate by any standard.