The National Association of Government General and Medical Dental Practitioners in Kano has set October 1 as the commencement date for a strike action due to unmet demands by the state government. The Secretary of the Association, Dr. Anas Hassan, announced this decision following the lack of response from the government since an agreement was reached three months ago.
One of the key issues highlighted is the non-payment of hazard allowances, particularly the post-COVID-19 hazard allowance, which has been disbursed at the federal level but remains pending in Kano. Additionally, concerns were raised over the delayed salaries of newly hired medical doctors and the inadequate state of hospitals and equipment in the region.
Dr. Anas emphasized the low doctor-to-patient ratio in Kano, falling significantly below the World Health Organization’s standards, with only 600 doctors serving approximately 20 million residents, resulting in a ratio of 1 doctor per 33,000 patients.
In a separate development, the Federal Government has established four committees to address demands from the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM). The nurses and midwives have issued a list of 11 demands, including the creation of a nursing department in the Ministry of Health, salary reviews, and representation in health policy-making bodies.
Despite some progress, including the opening of a verification portal by the nursing council, several demands are yet to be met. The National Vice President of NANNM, Abubakar Shehu, confirmed the formation of committees by Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, to address the outstanding issues.