The Lagos State Government has called on medical doctors to postpone their planned three-day warning strike, which is set to begin today, assuring that discussions and negotiations with the Medical Guild are actively ongoing.
This was made known in a statement by Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
The government stated that the concerns raised by the doctors are being addressed with “utmost sincerity and urgency.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Medical Guild—which represents doctors employed by the Lagos State Government—announced the warning strike on Saturday, with action scheduled to commence on Monday.
The government acknowledged the issues raised by the guild and stressed its commitment to 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 statement read.
The government also appreciated Lagos residents for their patience and understanding, adding that contingency plans are being rolled out to reduce the impact of any service disruptions during the strike period.
NAN further reports that during a press briefing at the guild’s secretariat, Chairman Dr. Japhet Olugbogi said the strike became necessary after repeated unsuccessful attempts at resolving the issues through dialogue.
He noted that the conflict began in April when part of the doctors’ salaries was unilaterally deducted by the state government.
Though the deductions were reversed after what he described as “spirited intervention and strategic engagement,” a new round of deductions occurred in July, “this time without prior notice or explanation.”
The guild’s demands include the immediate reversal of the July deductions and full payment of 12-month revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears owed to honorary consultants at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).