By Reloaded News Desk
Doctors employed by the Kwara State Government have commenced a seven-day warning strike over disputed salary deductions, unpaid allowances and delays in implementing an approved salary structure.
The industrial action began at 8 a.m. on Thursday, October 15, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the state government by the Kwara Doctors’ Forum.
The forum comprises the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), and the Association of Resident Doctors at Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH).
One of the major grievances is a two per cent deduction from doctors’ salaries for the Kwara Health Insurance Scheme. The doctors are demanding that the disputed deductions be reversed and that the government explain the authorisation and management of the funds.
They are also seeking implementation of the 2025 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), payment of outstanding 2025 and 2026 accoutrement allowances, recruitment of additional medical personnel and improved working conditions.
The associations said their action was not opposed to the principle of health insurance but to the lack of satisfactory clarification and accountability surrounding the deductions.
They also raised concerns about staffing shortages and the failure to establish the governing board of KWASUTH in line with the hospital’s enabling law.
The strike could disrupt consultations and other medical services in government hospitals across the state if the dispute remains unresolved.
The doctors have called on the state government to intervene and address their demands. The warning strike is scheduled to run until October 22, providing an opportunity for negotiations before the unions decide on their next steps.
The dispute places pressure on the state government to resolve the financial and administrative concerns while minimising disruption to patients who depend on public healthcare facilities.
