Resident doctors in Ondo shelve planned strike

Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTHC), Ondo State have suspended their earlier planned strike over unpaid salaries.

The doctors said they made the decision at the end of their congress held in Ondo town.

The acting president of the association’s UNIMEDTHC branch, Dr Shittu Abiola, said the government had met some of their demands.

READ: Patients stranded as doctors’ strike takes its toll on FCT

The doctors had earlier issued a week ultimatum to the government to pay their backlog of salaries or face another strike.

They said they were unhappy with the way they were being treated by the government.

But in a swift reaction, the state government paid two out of their outstanding salaries ranging from two to five months.

The association also wants reconciliation and payment of the salaries of the newly employed medical officers who resumed in March.

A statement on Wednesday by the association’s president said: “We rose from our congress with the following resolutions: That the intended industrial action be suspended for now.

“That our salaries henceforth be made regular and paid as and when due, with May 2020 salary paid on or before 7th June 2020.

“That the new hazard allowance for health workers (50% of basic salary) be paid at the end of May as promised at the meeting with the HOS on 30th April 2020.

“Immediate reconciliation and payment of the salaries of the newly employed medical officers who resumed in March but were excluded from March and April remunerations.”