The Ondo State Government has started paying salary arrears to resident doctors at the University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH).
PREMIUM TIMES understood that the health workers received the payments on Wednesday, April 3, a day after they embarked on a 14-day warning strike.
According to a statement by the Ondo State Head of Service, Bayo Philip, on Thursday, April 4, the state government started paying resident doctors at the institution the two months’ arrears of hazard allowance and new employees their four to five months’ salary arrears, as promised.
“It is true that Governor Aiyedatiwa inherited both the medical hazard allowance and salary arrears of interns made up of House Officers, Nurses, Pharmacists, etc. The government has not only taken concrete steps to resolve the matter but has commenced the payment of the arrears.
“The striking doctors have received a 2-month hazard allowance as agreed, while the interns are being paid the whole 4 – 5 months’ arrears owed them,” the statement read.
The state government also said that it was making efforts to bring its health workers’ salaries to be on par with those of their counterparts in other states.
“A joint committee comprising government and NMA officials is already meeting on the issue of salary disparity between Ondo State and other sister states, and this will be actualised as soon as the committee submits its report,” the statement said.
(Premium Times)
