Breaking doctors suspend nationwide strike
Breaking News: Doctors Suspend Nationwide Strike in Nigeria
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has announced the suspension of its nationwide strike, which was called off on Monday, April 12, 2021. The strike was called off after the Federal Government agreed to meet some of the demands of the doctors.
The strike was called off after a meeting between the NMA and the Federal Government, where the government agreed to increase the hazard allowance of doctors from N5,000 to N50,000 per month. The government also agreed to provide a comprehensive health insurance package for doctors and their families.
The NMA had called off the strike after a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and other government officials. The association had been on strike since April 1, 2021, over issues such as poor working conditions, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors.
The suspension of the strike is a relief to patients who had been affected by the strike, as many hospitals had been shut down or had limited services. The strike had also affected the healthcare system in the country, as many doctors had been on strike for over a week.
The NMA had given the government a 14-day ultimatum to meet its demands, but the government had failed to meet the deadline. The association had threatened to extend the strike if its demands were not met.
The suspension of the strike is a welcome development, as it will allow patients to access healthcare services again. The government has been urged to fulfill its promises to the doctors to prevent future strikes.
Here are the details of the agreement reached between the NMA and the Federal Government:
- Increase in hazard allowance from N5,000 to N50,000 per month
- Comprehensive health insurance package for doctors and their families
- Provision of PPE for doctors
- Improvement in working conditions and infrastructure in hospitals
- Increase in the budget for the healthcare sector
The NMA has commended the government for meeting some of its demands and has called off the strike. The association has also urged the government to fulfill its promises to prevent future strikes.
The suspension of the strike is a relief to patients and the healthcare system in Nigeria. It is hoped that the government will fulfill its promises to the doctors to prevent future strikes and to improve the healthcare system in the country.