Ondo doctors threaten strike over N5,000 hazard allowance

Doctors in Ondo State have threatened to embark on a total strike that will shut down health activities in the state over non-payment of their N5,000 hazard allowance.

The Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Omosehin Adeyemi-Osowe, who gave the strike warning during a press conference on Monday to mark the 2023 Physicians Week, decried the working conditions of doctors in the state which he said had led to more than 650 of the 900 registered medical doctors resigning and moving abroad, or to other states because of the poor working conditions.

Adeyemi-Osowe who called for improved funding of the health sector, said the doctors were ready to embark on the strike action if the state government fails to implement payment of hazard allowance for doctors.

“Doctors in the state will embark on industrial action if the circular on the hazard allowance is not released by tomorrow, Tuesday, October 24, 2023. By Friday, October 27th, we will embark on strike.

Read also: Zamfara doctors threaten strike over four-month salary arrears

“We have been able to tell our members to be patient over the hazard allowance but it is worrisome that we are yet to get the hazard allowance despite the approval by the state government since August.

“The health crisis in the state is unprecedented as the mass exodus hits an alarming proportion. Over 650 doctors have resigned from the state, and we have less than 350 doctors in the state.

“The government knows this, and that’s why they approved the employment of some 1,000 health workers in the state. The working conditions must be conducive, and we cannot stop people from migrating. There are ways to tie doctors down with incentives like cars, houses, and other loans.

“We have many challenges in Ondo NMA, one of them is that we lack personnel. Recently, we heard in the news that over 1,000 health workers would be employed by the state government.

“We are still waiting for the recruitment to commence. Another challenge is our allowances, we have had a review recently, and before that review, the hazard allowance has been reviewed upwards, before the review of that hazard allowance, what we received as doctors was N5,000.

“This has actually been reviewed by the Federal Government but up till this moment, Ondo State has not implemented the review, but we know that it has been approved, we were promised that there would be implementation in Ondo State, but up till this moment we are yet to perceive the implementation.

“As of last Friday the government, through the Permanent Secretary in Establishment, promised that on or before the end of tomorrow (Tuesday) a circular would be out, we are waiting,” Adeyemi-Osowe said.

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