Strikes: No Major Health Sector Disruptions In Two Years, Says FG
The comment came amid concerns about strikes and brain drain in the health sector.
The Federal Government says Nigeria’s health sector has experienced stability in the last two and a half years, with no major disruption during the period.
Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, said this on Sunday, attributing it to the government’s strategic planning and investments in the sector.
“I have to say that in the last two and a half years, we experienced relative harmony,” Pate said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“We have not had major disruptions in services, except for the period where resident doctors — not the medical association, not the Medical and Dental Consultants — only the trainee physicians, took on issues that were legacy issues for a very long time.”
The Bauchi-born Pate said the administration of President Bola Tinubu has taken steps to improve the welfare of medical doctors and other health personnel.
According to him, the government is taking steps to improve the conditions of service for medical personnel across all levels.
“You don’t do things like that off the head,” he said, re-emphasising the Federal Government’s resolve to have a healthy and well-catered health sector and the need for patience.
The minister said, “You cannot expect that all that you asked for will be done,” referencing the need for dialogue between health personnel and government authorities.
On November 30, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) suspended its indefinite strike after reaching a deal with the Federal Government.
“The National Executive Council of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has resolved to suspend the ongoing total, indefinite, and comprehensive strike action,” NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, wrote in a post on his X handle, confirming the suspension of the industrial action.
According to Suleiman, the move came after meetings with the Federal Government and the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The doctors embarked on a strike on November 1, asking the authorities to give them fair remuneration, pay salary arrears, improve working conditions, provide adequate staffing, and provide essential medical infrastructure.
