Lagos doctors threaten industrial action over non-payment of allowances

The Medical Guild of Lagos State, an association of doctors employed by the state, has issued an ultimatum to the government: pay the reviewed Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, allowance, also known as the living wage for doctors, or face a crisis.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, Chairman of the Medical Guild, pointed out that the CONMESS allowance has already been implemented for federal doctors, as well as in several states, including Ekiti, Delta, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Katsina, with arrears paid from July 2023.

The non-payment of this allowance in Lagos State has resulted in a significant disparity in salaries between doctors in the state and their federal and state counterparts elsewhere.

This has exacerbated the already severe brain drain of doctors leaving the state for federal employment or emigrating abroad.

Dr. Abdulsalam also highlighted the harsh economic conditions in the country, which are affecting doctors just as severely as the general population.

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The Medical Guild is demanding prompt action from the government to address this issue and prevent a crisis in the healthcare sector.

The guild also requested the demotion of specialist consultants as a result of incorrect step entry points into the public service, saying this had led to loss of income, low morale, and lack of interest from prospective specialists in joining the state health service.

“We seek employment of Medical Officers on grade level 12/2 and consultants at grade level 15/4 in line with national best practices. Immediate restoration and payment of contributory pension/NHF deductions for our resident doctors as enshrined in the Pension Reform Act of 2014. Full implementation of the September ‘23 Medical Guild position paper, as discussed and assented to by the government of Lagos State,” he stated.

Abdulsalam appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to avert an avoidable grand landscape crisis in the health sector and urgently implement the above-proposed incentives for the Health sector of Lagos State.

“In the build-up to the disputed issues with the government, we would like to place on record that we have and continue to employ all manners of advocacy and constructive persuasion, to avert this looming crisis. The government is yet to bulge. In the coming days, we shall call on the Association’s Congress to determine the next line of action, ” he added.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE