The strike’s suspension follows the intervention of the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, the umbrella body for all doctors. It said it will help the resident doctors push for the resolution of their grievances with the government. An arbitration court in Abuja ordered the doctors to return to work two weeks ago but the medics appealed the judgement.
The doctors went on industrial action in August 2021 following what it described as poor treatment of its members by both the federal and state governments. The strike coincided with a spike in Covid-19 cases which drew concern for the impact of the third wave of Covid-19 infections.
The government also threatened the healthworkers with a no-work-no-pay policy and warned that they would employ new doctors.