The Lagos State Government has appealed to the Medical Guild to postpone its planned three-day warning strike, which is set to begin today, Monday, July 28. The government says negotiations and consultations with the union are still in progress.
This appeal was made in a statement by Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health. According to the statement, the government is reviewing the grievances of the Medical Guild with “utmost sincerity and urgency” and is committed to addressing them within the limits of existing policies and fiscal regulations.
The Medical Guild, which represents doctors employed by the state government, announced the strike at a press conference on Saturday, citing unresolved issues dating back to April. Chairman of the guild, Dr. Japhet Olugbogi, said the state government had unilaterally deducted parts of doctors’ salaries earlier this year—a decision which was later reversed following negotiations. However, he noted that a similar deduction occurred again in July, this time without explanation.
Dr. Olugbogi added that the strike action followed multiple failed attempts at dialogue. He outlined the doctors’ key demands, including the immediate reversal of the latest salary deductions and the full payment of 12-month revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears owed to honorary consultants at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
In its response, the state government acknowledged the concerns of the Medical Guild and stated that a conciliation committee—comprising representatives from both sides—had already been formed to resolve the outstanding issues.
“As a responsible government, we value the critical role our healthcare professionals play in delivering quality and timely health services to over 20 million residents,” the statement said.
The government also assured the public that contingency plans are in place to mitigate any disruptions to healthcare services during the strike period and commended Lagos residents for their patience and understanding.
It called on the Medical Guild to continue dialogue in the interest of all parties, especially the public who might be affected by the strike.
