The Medical Guild of Lagos State has issued a stern ultimatum to the government, demanding the payment of the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) allowance or face imminent industrial action.
The Guild, an association of doctors employed by the Lagos State government, has voiced its frustration over the non-payment of the living wage, which has been implemented for their federal counterparts and doctors in several other states.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, on Wednesday, the Guild highlighted that CONMESS has been fully implemented for doctors at the federal level, with arrears dating back to July 2023.
“The non-payment of the reviewed CONMESS allowance, which has already been implemented for our federal colleagues and in states like Ekiti, Delta, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Katsina, has exacerbated the salary disparity between doctors in Lagos State. This has intensified the already alarming rate of doctor emigration to federal employment and abroad,” Abdulsalam stated. He further noted that the current economic hardship and stagflation in the country are severely impacting doctors as well.
The Guild also raised concerns about the demotion of specialist consultants due to incorrect step entry points into the public service, which has resulted in loss of income, low morale, and diminished interest from prospective specialists in joining the state health service.
“We seek the employment of Medical Officers on grade level 12/2 and consultants at grade level 15/4 in line with national best practices. We also demand the immediate restoration and payment of contributory pension and National Health Fund (NHF) deductions for our resident doctors, as mandated by the Pension Reform Act of 2014. Furthermore, we call for the full implementation of the September 2023 Medical Guild position paper, as discussed and agreed upon by the Lagos State government,” he added.
Dr. Abdulsalam appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to address these urgent issues and implement the proposed incentives to prevent a looming crisis in the health sector. “We have employed all manners of advocacy and constructive persuasion to avert this crisis. However, the government has yet to respond. In the coming days, we shall call on the Association’s Congress to determine the next line of action,” he warned.
