The Kano State chapter of the National Association of Government General and Medical Dental Practitioners has announced plans to begin an indefinite strike on Tuesday, October 1, citing the state’s failure to meet their long-standing demands.
According to The PUNCH, this decision was confirmed by the association’s secretary in Kano, Dr. Anas Hassan, during a press briefing held after their recent meeting.
Dr. Hassan explained that despite a previous agreement reached with the Kano State government in June, there has been no response from the authorities to address the concerns of the association.
“Months have passed since we reached an agreement with the state government, but they have yet to fulfill their promises,” Dr. Hassan said.
Among the key issues is the non-payment of the Post-COVID-19 hazard allowance, which has been paid by the Federal Government since 2021 but remains unpaid by the Kano State government.
Dr. Hassan also raised concerns about the newly employed doctors hired in September 2023, who have not received their salaries.
“Our members are working under very challenging conditions, and some of the newly recruited doctors haven’t been paid since they were employed,” he said.
The doctors are also alarmed by the deteriorating state of public hospitals in Kano, with inadequate medical equipment making it difficult to provide quality healthcare.
Furthermore, the secretary highlighted the critical shortage of medical personnel in the state. “We are deeply concerned about the doctor-to-patient ratio in Kano, which is significantly below the World Health Organization’s standard.
Kano, with its population of around 20 million people, is being served by only 600 doctors. This means each doctor is responsible for approximately 33,000 patients.”
Faced with these unresolved issues, the association said it has no choice but to proceed with the strike unless the government takes immediate action.
