The Lagos State Government has urged medical doctors to shelve their three-day warning strike, which was set to commence today, citing continuing negotiations and contacts with the Medical Guild.
Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, made the following statement.
The administration informed the doctors that all of their complaints were being investigated with the utmost earnestness and urgency.
Chronicle NG reports that the Medical Guild, an association of doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government, on July 26 declared a three-day warning strike.
The Medical Guild announced the warning strike at a news conference on Saturday. It is slated to begin on Monday.
The state government acknowledged the guild leadership’s concerns, emphasising that it was particularly concerned about the welfare, motivation, and productivity of all healthcare workers in the state.
“A conciliation committee comprising representatives from both the Medical Guild and the Government was previously constituted to resolve all outstanding issues.
“Meetings have been held, and documents submitted by the guild are being carefully reviewed in line with existing policies and fiscal regulations.
“As a responsible government, we value the critical role our healthcare professionals play in delivering quality and timely health services to the over 20 million residents of Lagos State.
“We urge the medical guild to continue on the path of dialogue while we work to reach a peaceful and just resolution in the interest of all parties, especially the residents who may bear the brunt of any service disruption,” the government said.
The government thanked Lagos residents for their patience and understanding and assured them that contingency preparations are being implemented to reduce the impact on healthcare services throughout the period.
At a news conference conducted at the guild’s secretariat in Lagos, Chairman Dr. Japhet Olugbogi stated that the decision came after a series of failed attempts to resolve the issue through conversation.
He claimed the disagreement began in April, when the state government arbitrarily withdrew a portion of doctors’ salaries.
Although the deductions were ultimately overturned following “spirited involvement and strategic engagement,” the problem resurfaced in July with a fresh wave of deductions, ’this time without prior notice or explanation.”
The doctors listed key demands, including the immediate reversal of the July deductions and the full payment of the 12-month revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure arrears owed to honorary consultants at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
