Striking doctors accuse Fayemi of neglecting sector, say seven doctors working in Ekiti’s 131 health centres

Striking doctors in Ekiti, under the aegis of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), have accused Governor Kayode Fayemi-led government of neglecting health delivery in the state.

The doctors said at the primary health care level that Ekiti State had only seven doctors working in 131 health centres.

Governor Fayemi last week warned the striking members to suspend their strike action to avert forcing him to invoke the ‘no work, no pay rule’.

But in a statement at the weekend by Dr. Kolawole Adeniyi and Dr. Toyese Adeleye, NAGGMDP chairman and secretary, respectively, the doctors said their action was for the state’s good and aimed at saving its primary and secondary health care from total collapse.

“It is not only a moral burden on us but also a clarion call.

“It is for the sake of the innocent people of Ekiti State, who unfortunately are at the receiving end.

“For the avoidance of doubt, at the primary health care level, there are a total of seven doctors working in 131 health centres.

“Government’s claim that it has in its employ over 300 doctors, and cumulatively 700 doctors in Ekiti State, is an obvious digression from the point.

“The primary and secondary levels of care are suffering obvious neglect,” the statement read.

The doctors called on Ekiti sons and daughters and other stakeholders in the state to intervene to save the sector from total collapse.

The doctors have been on strike since the 30th of June, 2020 after the expiration of the 28-day ultimatum issued to the government to protest alleged wage disparity, and unpaid backlog of allowances, among other matters.