In a bid to alleviate the suffering of patients, the Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has suspended its 25-day strike.
The association’s chairman, Dr. Ogunjimi Luqman, announced that the strike would be halted for four weeks to pave the way for constructive negotiations with the state government.
The decision to suspend the strike was reached after an emergency general meeting held between August 27 and August 29, 2024, in Abeokuta. The meeting assessed the effectiveness of the strike and reviewed members’ compliance. The association also considered the progress of negotiations with the state government.
Dr. Luqman directed doctors to return to their duties at 8 am on Monday, September 2, 2024. He also disclosed plans for the association to reconvene on September 30, 2024, to evaluate the situation and decide on further actions based on the government’s response.
The strike was initiated in response to the state government’s failure to implement the reviewed Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) wage, which has been in effect for federal medical workers since June 2023. Despite ongoing efforts by the NMA executives, the issue of wage disparity remains unresolved.
Dr. Luqman emphasized the severity of the situation, urging the state administration to seize the opportunity to address the challenges at hand. He expressed the association’s expectation that the government would meet their demands and avoid further industrial disharmony.
