Federal Government begs Doctors to call off strike

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has appealed to the resident doctors to call off their strike in the interest of patients that needed care at this critical time.

Ehanire made the call at a media briefing on Wednesday in Abuja to commemorate World Health Day

Ehanire, who delivered his speech via zoom from Edo, said this period was not a good time for such activities for the doctors that began a strike on Thursday.

The aggrieved doctors’ agitations include the non-payment of salaries of three to five months of some house officers and non-recruitment of house officers.

Others are abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, non-payment of National Minimum Wage and hazard allowances.

The minister, however, said the house officers had started receiving their outstanding entitlements.

“We are working assiduously to address other issues raised by the doctors.

“Mindful of the huge Human Resource for Health challenges and hard work to build them and expand it, we encourage setting up more of training institutions for health workers,” he said.

According to him, 2021 is the international year for Health and care workers, in recognition of selfless roles they played and continue to play, to support our health system.

“In appreciation, we prioritised health workers for ongoing COVID-19 vaccination. We remain committed to the welfare of our health workers,” he said.