Nigerian Health Workers Go On Strike Over Unpaid COVID-19 Allowances - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd August, 2021) Nigerian health workers on Monday staged a nationwide strike over unpaid salaries, benefits and hazard allowances during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guardian Nigeria newspaper reported.

About 16,000 resident doctors, which is 40% of all registered doctors in Nigeria, put down their instruments under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

"Even if they [the Federal government] communicate to us now, there is no going back. It is now 115 days after we signed Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement. They should be ashamed for not being truthful. We cannot be working and not get paid. You make commitments with doctors and you don't keep them," NARD President Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi was quoted as saying, adding that there is no going back on plans to shut down public and government hospitals.

The head of the Nigerian Medical Association, Innocent Ujah, also condemned the federal government's failure to pay benefits to the families of doctors who lost their lives to COVID-19.

"Despite our efforts in trying to contain COVID-19, we still have problem with government in the payment of health benefits to those who have died," Ujah said.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said it had not received any strike notice from NARD.

Nigeria on average records about 500 daily cases of COVID-19. On July 30, it reported 590 cases, the highest since March 4. According to the newspaper, the health workers' strike comes during an outbreak of cholera in more than 15 states. So far the country has confirmed 526 deaths and 22,130 suspected cases of cholera in 18 states and in the federal capital territory.