Osun Doctors Suspend 7 Months Strike

BEVERLY HILLS, April 04, (THEWILL) – Medical doctors in Osun state belonging to the Association of Medical and Dental Officers announced the suspension of their seven months industrial action.

Isiaka Adekunle, chairman of the association, confirmed this to NAN, saying though the government was yet to meet any of their demands, their decision to resume work was in response to appeals from well-meaning people of the state.

Revealing that the association took the decision to call off the strike at its annual general meeting held on March 30, Adekunle said the association would continue to dialogue with the government.

“The speaker of the state assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam and some other people prevailed on us to call off the strike,” he said.

“We also observed that the people who are at the receiving end of our strike are the masses who can only access health care from state owned hospitals.

“Based on this, the doctors unanimously agreed at our AGM that the strike be suspended despite the fact that none of our demands has been met by the government

“While we pray for good fortune for the state and the nation as a whole, when the economy of the state improves, government will have no choice than to answer our demands.”

Adekunle appealed to the government to keep to its promises by not victimising its members who participated in the strike.

“We want a promise from the government that none of our members will be victimised for participating in the strike,” he said.

“We believe government will keep to its side of agreement while we keep to ours.”

The doctors went on strike on September 28, 2015, to protest unpaid salaries and non-remittance of their cooperative and contributory deductions from their salaries to the appropriate quarters.

Story by David Oputah