Doctors in Nigeria have suspended a nationwide strike in order to continue negotiations with the government over lack of protective equipment needed in COVID-19-related treatments, as well as other benefits.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) said in a statement seen by Bloomberg that the country’s medical professionals were returning to their stations following a-intervention from government officials.
The group will “continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks,” the statement said.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information Lai Mohammed condemned the doctors’ strike, terming it “a setback for the nation’s effort” in the fight against COVID-19.
“This is not right and it clearly negates the Hippocratic Oath to which the doctors subscribe,” Mohammed said in a statement. “This is an ill-timed and ill-considered strike, — there is no doubt that the strike has impacted negatively on public health, putting many lives at risk.”
Nigeria is one of many countries that have reported cases of COVID-19. The West African state had registered 20,244 infections and 518 deaths as of Monday afternoon, according to data from the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.
NARD however defended the action by the doctors saying some medical professionals had contracted COVID-19 in the course of their work.
Bloomberg quotes NARD secretary general Bilqis Muhammad to say about 300 doctors had been infected and 10 has died after contracting the disease.
