Lagos doctors protest against wage disparity, others

Medical doctors in the employ of Lagos State Government have commenced a three-day warning strike over the alleged disparity between their wage and that of their counterparts working for the Federal Government.

The doctors, under the aegis of Medical Guild, took the action after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum given to the state government on the issue.

Other grievances of the health workers include non-approval of COVID-19 hazard allowances and inducement allowances Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) approved by the Federal Government to doctors.

They also alleged that their colleagues working in COVID-19 isolation centres were still being owed two months salary arrears.

Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo, said the doctors were being unceremoniously disengaged without recourse to their welfares. However, the Guild exempted members working in the COVID-19 isolation centres from the strike.

The Guardian observed partial compliance with the strike at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) as doctors were rendering skeletal services, emergency cases were being taken care of and patients with the hospital’s cards were able to access care.

Sodipo, who said the strike was inevitable because the government was unable to meet 70 per cent of the doctors’ demands, lamented that his colleagues were getting infected and re-infected daily with no requisite attention from the authorities.

Sodipo said adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), prompt testing of health workers and insurance cover should be provided for the doctors who put their lives at risk daily to provide care for others.