The Nasarawa State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association has given the state government a 21-day strike ultimatum over unsatisfactory doctor welfare packages in the 13 local government areas.
Dr. Peter Attah, the state NMA chairman, told a press conference in Lafia on Tuesday that the association would take industrial action if the state government didn’t accept the physicians’ requests.
He said the association’s challenges included:
- The non-implementation of promotion for doctors and annual salary increments.
- The minimum wage and consequential adjustments.
- The reviewed hazard allowance and the accrued 17 months arrears.
- Inadequate manpower and overwork of doctors.
- A high tax burden on doctors.
- Medical residency training fund payment.
He stated, “The issues we are facing are immense; we simply decided to come up with these ones for now, and we hope that the state government would look into the matter from today, June 13, through July 3, 2023, when we will be starting on an industrial strike if our demands are not satisfied.
We desire good healthcare for our patients because we need more equipment. We refer numerous patients to Abuja, but the services could have been delivered locally.
The Nasarawa State NMA is considering requiring each general hospital to have at least four doctors, depending on geography.
Dr. Attah also said that 27 medical doctors have departed the state since January 2023 due to inadequate service and requested Governor Abdullahi Sule to quickly resolve the association’s concerns to prevent brain drain in the health sector.
Due to insufficient assistance packages, over 27 doctors left us this year. If the government fails to accept our requests in 21 days, we will strike to stop losing doctors.
“We are appealing to Governor Sule to use his good office to settle these concerns so that we can continue to serve the citizens of the state as medical doctors,” he added.
