Doctors employed by the Kwara State Government have begun a seven-day warning strike over unpaid allowances, disputed salary deductions and other welfare concerns.
The industrial action involves members of the Kwara Doctors Forum, comprising the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) and the Association of Resident Doctors at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH).
Speaking at a news conference in Ilorin on Thursday, MDCAN Chairman, Dr Adeola Olasinde, said the strike followed a congress held on 14 October after the state government failed to address the doctors’ demands within a 14-day ultimatum.
The ultimatum, issued from 1 to 14 October, sought action on several welfare issues, including what the doctors described as an abrupt two per cent deduction from their salaries for the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme, also known as KwaraCare.
The doctors are also demanding the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), the approved salary scale for medical and dental practitioners in government service.
Olasinde said the government must reverse the salary deductions and pay outstanding accoutrement allowances approved for 2025 and 2026.
He said other demands include the recruitment of house officers, medical officers, resident doctors and consultants across the state’s healthcare facilities.
The doctors are also seeking the renovation of house officers’ accommodation in teaching hospitals and the establishment of the governing board of KWASUTH in line with the law establishing the institution.
Olasinde stressed that the doctors were not opposed to health insurance or efforts to expand access to affordable healthcare.
However, he said salary-based contributions to the scheme must be managed transparently, with adequate accountability and oversight.
He said the deductions had raised concerns because they were introduced without prior agreement or satisfactory explanations about how the funds would be managed.
The chairman called for clearly defined institutional controls, independent audits, legislative and regulatory supervision, as well as the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the formulation and review of the scheme’s policies.
He said these measures would help ensure that workers’ contributions translated into accessible and quality healthcare for the public.
Olasinde apologised to patients and residents who might be affected by the industrial action, describing the strike as a reluctant decision taken after dialogue failed.
He urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and relevant authorities to intervene urgently to resolve the dispute.
Meanwhile, the Medical Director of KWASUTH, Dr Ahmed Abdul-Qadir, appealed to the striking doctors to return to work, warning that prolonged disruption could put patients’ lives at risk.
Abdul-Qadir said the hospital was operating at full capacity, with critically ill patients receiving treatment in its wards and intensive care unit.
He said the patients included women who had recently undergone surgery, adding that the situation required urgent attention.
The medical director described the strike as unfortunate and urged the medical associations to resolve their differences with the government in the interest of patients.
He expressed confidence in the state government’s commitment to the welfare of healthcare workers and appealed to the doctors to resume duty to prevent disruptions to medical services.
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