Federal Government has said it would not not pay the striking resident doctors so long they continue to stop work.
This follows the invocation of the “no work, no pay” rule, which Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire said is necessary because “the doctors have no basis for going on strike at this time”.
He added that “no work no pay” rule is recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Meanwhile, the doctors maintain that they would not back off from the strike and would be at the Industrial Court on Monday.
Ehanire, speaking at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team in Abuja, told the doctors, who started their strike on August 2, that the country is currently facing a virulent third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, and cholera outbreak, which has claimed hundreds of lives and an emerging Marburg virus in neighbouring vicinities.
The minister noted that most of the demands raised by the striking doctors were under the jurisdiction of state governments.
“We have said openly that this is not a good time for doctors to go on strike. We’re having a strike for the third time this year that is not good. We have appealed to them. We have been having long meetings with young doctors to tell them that look we have a certain responsibility to our country.
“Every country in difficult situation at this time should understand that responsibility is on all of us if you have any problem, any grudge let’s talk about it. If we can’t solve it now, let’s continue talking about it until we fine solution but don’t drop work,” he said
