Dr Peter Attah, Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Nasarawa State.
Cecilia Onah, Lafia
Medical Doctors in Nasarawa State have resumed duties after the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association recently embarked on a five-day warning strike over the poor welfare packages of its members.
Members of the association who declared a fresh two weeks ultimatum to the state government on Monday, had accused the government of not being serious with issued affecting medical workers in the state.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lafia on Monday, Chairman of NMA in the state, Dr. Peter Attah, said the decision to call off the warning strike and issue the two weeks ultimatum was reached at the association’s congress meeting held today via a zoom platform where a communique was also issued on the matter.
The NMA members had mentioned their challenges to include non-implementation of promotion for doctors and annual salary increments; non-implementation of minimum wage and consequential adjustments; non-implementation of the reviewed hazard allowance and the accrued 19 months Arrears; inadequate manpower and overwork of doctors; high burden of taxation on doctors and medical residency training fund payment.
READ: Nasarawa APC stakeholders demand arrest of ex-Council Chair over anti-party activities
Dr. Attah said, “The congress deliberated on the five days warning strike action embarked by the medical and dental doctors in the state.
“After an extensive deliberation, the congress resolved to suspend the warning strike action and directed its members to resume immediately to ameliorate the sufferings of the masses and good citizens of Nasarawa State.
“We further gave the state government another two weeks ultimatum to address all our demands.
“At the expiration of the two weeks notice, if the state government do not meet our demands, we might be left with no option than to embark on an indefinite strike action until all our demands are met.”
The NMA Chairman, therefore urged Governor Abdullahi Sule to urgently intervene in the matter in order to ensure that residents of the state do not suffer poor healthcare services when members of the association finally embarks on the indefinite strike action if their demands are not met within the stipulated time.
