The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to urgently resolve the grievances of striking medical doctors, warning that the industrial action could further disrupt healthcare services and put patients at risk.

The party’s appeal follows the commencement of a seven-day warning strike by doctors employed by the state government on Thursday, October 15, over disputed salary deductions, unpaid allowances, delayed salary adjustments and shortages of medical personnel.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, accused the government of failing to address the doctors’ concerns despite a 14-day ultimatum issued before the strike.

“We’ve studied the doctors’ grievances, and we believe they are genuine and deserve urgent attention and not cold silence that the government is giving them,” the statement said.

The party argued that the government had sufficient time to engage the doctors and reach an agreement before the industrial action began, adding that a timely intervention could have prevented the disruption to medical services.

The doctors, operating under the Kwara Doctors Forum, are demanding the reversal of a two per cent deduction from their salaries for the Kwara Health Insurance Scheme, popularly known as KwaraCare.

They are also seeking the implementation of the 2025 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), payment of outstanding accoutrement allowances for 2025 and 2026, and the recruitment of more medical personnel across government-owned hospitals.

The forum comprises the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, and the Association of Resident Doctors at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital.

The strike followed the expiration of the doctors’ ultimatum on October 14, after efforts to resolve the outstanding issues failed to produce an agreement.

Beyond the immediate salary dispute, the PDP raised concerns about inadequate medical staffing, poor working conditions and the pressure on doctors working in the state’s public health facilities.

The party claimed that Kwara had about 362 medical doctors serving a population of approximately 4.2 million, contrasting this with its estimate of 1,500 doctors in neighbouring Osun State, which it said had a smaller population.

It argued that the figures highlighted the need for the state government to recruit more doctors, improve staff welfare and strengthen public hospitals to prevent further loss of experienced medical personnel.

The opposition party also warned that a prolonged strike could restrict access to essential healthcare, particularly for patients requiring emergency treatment and specialist services.

It questioned the reported movement of ₦200 million in cash by the governor for political purposes, arguing that resources devoted to political mobilisation should instead be directed towards pressing public needs, including healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment and workers’ welfare.

Meanwhile, the Medical Director of the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Ahmed Abdul-Qadir, has appealed to the striking doctors to return to work, warning of the risks to patients receiving treatment.

He said the hospital was operating at full capacity, with critically ill patients in its wards and intensive care unit, including women who had recently undergone surgery.

The hospital chief urged the medical associations to resolve the dispute quickly in the interest of patients, while expressing confidence in the state government’s commitment to workers’ welfare.

The seven-day warning strike is expected to end on October 22, unless the dispute leads to further industrial action.

The PDP has called on AbdulRazaq’s administration to address the outstanding demands and reach an agreement with the doctors to restore normal healthcare services across the state.