The Kwara State Government on Monday met with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the state over the notice of strike given by the medical doctors on its payroll.
NMA had last month given the government a 21-day ultimatum to address their demands or face strike.
The state government was represented by the Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Oluwole while the NMA team was led by the Chairman, Dr. Abdulkadir Ahmed.
The HoS, who addressed journalists at the end of the meeting, said most of the issues raised by the dooctors were not peculiar to the medical profession.
She said that government was already taking steps to alleviate the problems and enhance the welfare of the entire workers.
Oluwole urged members of the association to exercise restraint and described the strike threat as unnecessary.
She said: “Government has a massive plan for the revival of particularly the health sector and by the time it is concluded, nobody will have reason to go to Japan.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, acknowledged the efforts of the present administration at repositioning the health sector.
He said the state government had made regular payment of the doctors’ salaries a priority in addition to improving the working facilities in the hospitals.
