Abia State doctors have made the decision to put an end to their ongoing strike, which was initiated during the previous tenure of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, News About Nigeria reports.
The strike was organized as a form of protest against the accumulation of unpaid salaries owed to doctors employed by the state government.
The decision to suspend the strike was announced in a formal statement released after an emergency general meeting of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) that took place in Umuahia on Friday.
The statement, jointly signed by Dr. Isaiah Abali, Chairman of the NMA, and Daniel Ekeleme, the association’s Secretary, declared that the suspension was a result of productive discussions with the new state administration, which has shown a commitment to addressing the issue of salary arrears.
In accordance with the statement, Governor Otti, in his inaugural speech, as well as his Special Adviser on Health, appealed to the doctors to cease the strike and resume their duties, providing them with reassurances that he would fulfill the promise of settling the outstanding salaries.
The Abia State Executive Council of the NMA stated, “After thorough deliberations on the aforementioned matters, the NMA hereby announces the suspension of the indefinite strike, effective from Friday, June 9th, 2023. All medical practitioners working in private, public, and government positions within Abia State are required to return to their duties”.
The association emphasized that the purpose of the suspension is to allow the current administration an opportunity to address the persistent issue of salary arrears.
They expressed their hope that the government would promptly fulfill its promise to pay the outstanding salaries, in order to prevent a recurrence of the challenging circumstances experienced in the recent past.
The NMA highlighted that doctors working at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Hospitals Management Board (HMB), and the Ministry of Health are owed 23, 16, and 2 months of salary arrears respectively. They also criticized the previous administration for its failure to make any substantial commitment towards resolving the salary issue.
The doctors’ strike, which began while Governor Ikpeazu was still in office, has persisted for several months with no response from the government in regards to the doctors’ demands.
