Medical doctors working under the Lagos State Government have commenced a three-day warning strike today to protest what they described as “illegal and disrespectful” salary deductions by the state. The strike, announced by the Medical Guild, the umbrella body of medical and dental practitioners in Lagos State’s public service, will run from 8 a.m. today until 8 a.m. on Thursday.
At a press conference held at the Guild’s secretariat in Lagos, the Chairman, Dr. Japhet Olugbogi, said the action followed several failed attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue. He explained that the dispute started in April when the state government made unilateral deductions from doctors’ salaries. Though the deductions were reversed after “spirited intervention and strategic engagement,” he said the situation resurfaced in July with a fresh round of deductions “without prior notice or explanation.”
The doctors outlined their demands, which include the immediate reversal of the July deductions and the full payment of the 12-month revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears owed to honorary consultants at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).In response, the Lagos State Ministry of Health acknowledged the concerns raised by the Medical Guild and said the government was already addressing the grievances with “utmost sincerity and urgency.”
“Negotiations and engagements with the Medical Guild are ongoing,” a statement by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, said. According to the ministry, a conciliation committee made up of representatives from both the Medical Guild and the government had already been set up to resolve outstanding issues. Meetings had been held, and documents submitted by the Guild were being reviewed in line with existing policies and fiscal regulations.
The statement further read: “As a responsible Government, we value the critical role our healthcare professionals play in delivering quality and timely health services to the over 20 million residents of Lagos State. We urge the Medical Guild to continue on the path of dialogue while we work to reach a peaceful and just resolution in the interest of all parties, especially the residents who may bear the brunt of any service disruption.”
The ministry appealed to the Medical Guild to reconsider its decision to strike and allow discussions to reach a “fruitful conclusion.” It assured Lagos residents that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains committed to promoting the welfare of healthcare workers and maintaining industrial harmony within the health sector.
It also thanked the public for their patience and assured that contingency measures were being put in place to minimise the impact of the strike on healthcare services.
Source : https://thenationonlineng.net/
