KEY POINTS
• Resident doctors suspend a nationwide strike until January 25 pending review of progress
• Government commitments and high level interventions help ease tensions
• Court order and renewed negotiations shape next steps in health sector talks
Doctors in Nigeria have called off a planned nationwide strike after getting new promises from the federal government and important people in the health sector. This has eased fears of problems in public hospitals.
After an emergency virtual meeting of its national executive council late Sunday, the National Association of Resident Doctors made the announcement. The strike was supposed to start on Monday, but the group has put it on hold until January 25, when it will look at how well its demands are being met.
The association said the choice was made after getting strong promises from a number of government agencies that deal with health care, such as the ministries of health, labor, and finance. It also mentioned the National Assembly’s involvement, the involvement of security agencies, and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s direct intervention on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
Court order and conditional suspension
The National Industrial Court in Abuja issued a temporary order a few days before the planned strike, stopping the doctors and their members from going on strike. The order came after the federal government filed a request, and it will stay in effect until a full hearing on January 21.
The doctors said in their statement that the suspension was conditional and that it was meant to give them time to see if the government’s promises turn into real action. The group didn’t directly talk about the court’s decision, but they did say they would look at what happened at their next meeting.
The strike threat followed unresolved disputes over salaries, allowances and working conditions. Resident doctors had accused the government of failing to fully implement agreements reached after a previous strike that ended in November.
According to the association, verified lists for outstanding Consolidated Medical Salary Structure arrears have now been forwarded to the payroll system, with steps underway to facilitate payment. Progress was also reported on promotion arrears, accoutrement allowances and salary backlogs.
The doctors said a long standing dispute at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja has seen movement after the implementation of a committee report and the setting up of a reconciliation panel to restore stability.
