Ondo Doctors Commence Warning Strike

James Sowole in Akure

Citing poor welfare, including non-payment of their salaries by the state government, doctors in Ondo State under the auspices of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), have embarked on a two-week warning strike.

Specifically, the doctors alleged that the government had failed to pay their salary arrears for some months, and also failed to resolve the issue of exodus of doctors and other health workers, among other issues.

The association stated this in a letter “Notice of Withdrawal of Service,’’ to the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu.

The letter was signed by the State Chairman and Secretary of the NAGGMDP, Dr. Roland Arohunmolase, and Dr. Richard Obe, respectively.

According to the letter some the grounds for the industrial action include “non-payment of salaries arrears being owed health workers in Ondo State (January, 2017, March, April and May 2021), gross under-staffing of government hospitals, following mass exodus of doctors and other health workers from the state, non-regular payment of salaries and non-harmonisation of doctors’ grade level in Ondo State Civil Service as approved by Mr. Governor, which is contained in the letter written to Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ondo State in March, 2021.”

Other grounds are, “percentage payment of salaries to health workers, non-payment of third tranche of COVID-19 allowance, non- implementation of Group Life Insurance for all Health workers.”