By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Government has said Nigeria’s health sector has remained largely stable over the past two and a half years, with no major disruptions in service during the period.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, made the remarks on Sunday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, attributing the stability to strategic government planning and investments in the sector.
Pate noted that the only recent disruptions involved resident doctors addressing long-standing issues, but clarified that associations of senior medical practitioners were not involved.
“I have to say that in the last two and a half years, we experienced relative harmony,” Pate said. “We have not had major disruptions in services, except for the period where resident doctors… took on issues that were legacy issues for a very long time.”
He added that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has been working to improve the welfare and conditions of service for medical personnel at all levels. “You cannot expect that all that you asked for will be done,” Pate said, stressing the importance of dialogue between health workers and government authorities.
The comments follow the suspension of an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on November 30. NARD President Mohammad Suleiman confirmed the suspension on his X handle, citing a memorandum of understanding signed with the Federal Government.
The strike, which began on November 1, was aimed at securing fair remuneration, payment of salary arrears, improved working conditions, adequate staffing, and essential medical infrastructure.
