LASUTH Doctors May Suspend Strike Today

There are indications that medical doctors under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH‑ARD) may today suspend their indefinite strike, which they began on 11th September.

LEADERSHIP Friday findings show that the doctors agreed to return to work today, following a congress held on Wednesday.

The doctors had remained adamant, insisting they were at a deadlock with the Lagos State government and would not return to work until their welfare demands were met.

Our correspondent gathered that the doctors met with the Lagos State governor on Monday. At the meeting, some of their issues were addressed, and a possible way forward was discussed.

A reliable source said their return to work on Friday meant the strike action is completely over, saying, “The doctors are only suspending it for 10 weeks.

After that period, the congress will meet again to review progress and decide on the next step.’’

President, LASUTH‑ARD, Dr Akerele Alaba Gabriel, had previously explained that the association had to take the necessary steps because, on 27 August, they had given the government seven days to implement the Specialist Allowance for Grade Level 14 doctors and to pay outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to affected members.

He said they warned that failure to meet their demands within the given time would trigger further action and possibly lead to industrial disharmony at the hospital.

Before this indefinite strike, the group had threatened to go on a three‑day total warning strike from Monday night, 15 June, to Friday, 19 June, over this unpaid allowance and slow implementation of welfare measures, which it agreed with the Lagos State government.

However, LASUTH‑ARD, during its congress, expressed great concern about the persistent delay and the government’s failure to fulfil its promise to pay specialist allowances to Grade Level 14 resident doctors (Senior Registrars I) at LASUTH. This was despite an earlier agreement to follow the federal government’s implementation of the allowance at federal institutions.

The congress expressed dismay at the continued delay in paying salary shortfalls and arrears of advancement owed to members since last year.

Although the Lagos State government had acknowledged the non‑payment, attributing it to procedural and systemic issues, the doctors lamented that no concrete action had been taken to resolve the matter.

In addition, the Congress raised deep concerns over irregularities and discrepancies in the payment of the revised provisional allowance to members. They also expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in implementing Professional Allowances (PAT), which were supposed to take effect from 1 July 2024.

After extensive deliberations, the Congress resolved that the specialist allowance for resident doctors at Grade Level 14 must be implemented immediately. It also demanded prompt payment of salary shortfalls and arrears of advances owed to members, settlement of 25 months’ arrears under the recently implemented revised professional allowance table, and the release of a transparent salary breakdown that includes all components currently used by the Lagos State government in paying doctors.

Based on this, the Congress declared a total and indefinite strike beginning on Friday, 11 September, citing the government’s failure to meet their welfare needs and demands.