Embarking On Strike During Pandemic Dangerous, Unconscionable, Nigerian Government Tells Doctors

The Federal Government Thursday appealed to the striking resident doctors to reconsider their action, saying that for doctors to embark on strike in the midst of the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic with the arrival of Delta variant, cholera outbreak in 22 states and Marburg virus (similar to Ebola) outbreak was not only dangerous but unconscionable.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire made the appeal during the 18th ministerial briefing organised by Presidential Communication Team, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recall that resident doctors under the auspices of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, had on August 2, proceeded on industrial action over the alleged inability to meet with their demands including hazard allowance.

The Minister at the briefing insisted that the Federal Government will apply the International Labour Organization’s policy of “No Work, No Pay”, if the doctors continued with the strike, stressing that they will not be paid from taxpayers for doing nothing.

He denied the allegation that he threatened to sack resident doctors who withdrew their services nationwide since August 2 over alleged poor conditions of service, explaining that all the engagements and consultations so far have been to appeal to them to call off the strike.

He noted that majority of the demands being raised by the striking doctors were under the jurisdiction of state governments.

-DailyTrust