Dickson, Bayelsa doctors meet to avert strike

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has met with officials of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in the state to avert impending strike by medical practitioners over backlog of five month salary arrears.

The NMA in Bayelsa had on June 6 issued a 21-day strike notice which lapsed on Monday.

The strike notice, dated June 6, was for the three affiliates of NMA in the state.

Dr Israel Jeremaih, the state Chairman of NMA, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Yenagoa that the association met with Dickson on Monday over the strike notice.

Jeremaih said that the NMA executives in Bayelsa had scheduled a congress at the association’s secretariat in Yenagoa to review the ‘offer’ made by the governor and take a decision on the strike.

“Yes, we (leadership) met with Bayelsa Governor on Monday and had discussions, and we shall table the deliberations before NMA congress which will decide on the next line of action,” Jeremaih said.

The NMA noted that the non-payment of salary in Bayelsa since January 2016 had taken a negative toll on the health sector as residents could no longer afford to seek medical attention and compelled to either patronise quacks or resort to self-medication.