FIJ
Four cases of Mpox have been confirmed in Ogun State, but the doctors who should be treating patients have been on strike for two weeks, protesting pay disparities.
On August 6, doctors in Ogun, under the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), launched an indefinite strike. According to Azeem Kunle Ashimi, the chairman of the Ogun State NMA, the strike aims to address the pay gap between state doctors and their federal counterparts.
Before the indefinite strike, the doctors staged a three-day warning strike, hoping to prompt action from the state government. However, they reached no resolution.
Ashimi, in a press briefing, said that doctors have been leaving the state in large numbers due to the pay disparity between state and federal doctors. He blamed this on the state government’s failure to implement the reviewed Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
“Ogun State is losing a lot of doctors daily because of the pay disparity. If the reviewed CONMESS is paid, it will encourage doctors to stay,” Ashimi stated during an August 6 press briefing.
In June, the Ogun NMA, following the lead of its Lagos counterpart, issued an ultimatum to the state government, demanding the implementation of CONMESS.
The Federal Government approved this salary structure in 2013, and reviewed it in 2019, to address the brain drain of medical and dental professionals in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, sick patients in Ogun State are feeling the impact of the strike as healthcare services become increasingly strained, according to a report by PUNCH.
While Nigeria has yet to declare Mpox a medical emergency, there have been 39 confirmed cases across 19 states and 30 local government areas. With four confirmed cases, Ogun State is among those with the highest number of cases.
Given that Mpox spreads through contact, it could potentially spread quickly. The NCDC has urged Nigerians to report suspected cases to the nearest health facility. However, with state healthcare workers in Ogun on strike, residents may struggle to access care.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN FIJ
