Medical doctors employed by the Lagos state government have said that a three-day warning strike would begin from tomorrow over safety and welfare issues in the state.
The doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild in Lagos State complained that many of their demands since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been met.
Chairman of the Guild, Oluwajimi Sodipo, made this known to NAN on Saturday.
Sodipe noted that doctors working in the state’s isolation centres would be exempted from the warning strike which would begin on Monday July 13th and end on Thursday July 16th.
He said that Congress of the Guild had on June 27 extended the two weeks ultimatum to the state government, after expiration of its initial 21 days ultimatum to resolve the issues.
The guild leader noted that the grace period was given to the government to meet 70 per cent of the doctors’ demands in order to avert the strike.
He, however, said that the Council, after its meeting on July 11, observed that some of the demands were unresolved by the government.
According to him, wage disparity between the Federal and Lagos State doctors is not being given necessary attention by the state government.
“The issue of COVID-19 hazard allowances and inducement allowances Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Federal Government to the doctors has not been approved by Lagos Government to her doctors.
“Doctors working in COVID-19 isolation centres are still being owed two months salaries which have remained unpaid at the moment.
“They are also being unceremoniously disengaged without recourse to their welfares,” he said.
The chairman stressed that the issues of doctors getting infected and re-infected on a daily basis were not getting the required attention from the government.
“Our members are putting themselves on the line daily to provide care, and we need to do everything to protect our colleagues,” Mr Sodipo said.
He maintained that adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), prompt testing of health workers and insurance should be provided.
Mr Sodipo added that issues of shortage of doctors in health facilities have yet to be resolved with no visible substantive action taken by the government to resolve it.
“The congress will reconvene after the three days warning strike to review the progress made and plan for further actions.
“We call on the Lagos State Government to do all within its power to resolve the impasse,” he said.
Also, Babajide Saheed, former Chairman of the Guild, said the government could still avert the strike within 24 hours if the needful is done.
