The doctors in Ondo State on Tuesday began an indefinite strike over alleged poor welfare by the state government.
The doctors under the auspices of the Ondo State Doctors Forum, which involved all the associations of medical doctors in the state, also declined the 50 per cent payment of their December 2020 salaries and blamed the government of taking their welfare with levity.
The forum consists of Association Of Resident Doctors, UNIMEDTH, the Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners.
The action was taken after the meeting of the doctors on Tuesday where the resolution to embarked on the strike was agreed upon by the doctors. The resolution was read by the spokesperson for the forum, Dr Abosede Olulayo.
According to the doctors, a letter was written to the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredelu, informing him about the poor condition under which they were working, adding that the letter was neither recognised nor replied to.
They also said the 50 per cent salary was not acceptable to them.
The doctors said, “We are working under poor condition. We have written a letter to the governor. We expressed our displeasure that we can’t cope with 50 per cent salaries and we cant be working from home but there was no response from him
“After intense deliberation we decided to begin indefinite strike. Some of our members have left. Everyday, doctors are leaving Ondo State. We demand the immediate payment of our salaries. We also demand the payment of our COVID-19 allowance.”
The forum also required the implementation of group life insurance for doctors in the state.
But the state acting Commissioner for Health, Dr JIbayo Adeyeye, said the letter written by the doctors did not give any strike notice.
Adeyeye added that the government would “engage the doctors so that they will return to work as soon as possible.”
