“This is a very painful period for me”- Governor Fashola wants sympathy as he sacks doctors

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has spoken out once more on the ongoing strike action by doctors in the state. Adressing protesters at his office on Friday, Fashola apologised for the situation, expressing his displeasure at the turn of events, especially at the fact lives had been lost.

“Let me apologise to all of you, all Lagosians who are suffering from this situation that we have found ourselves” he said.

“I can only apologise to you, unfortunately I cannot give back those lives that we have lost and this is a very painful period for me,”

“From their offices to the clinics to the theatre, to the School of Medicine and we have not stopped,” he continued. “But the truth is that hospitals by themselves do not save lives, it is people who do so.”

“We assure you that we will end this strike as soon as possible. I appeal to you to remain calm and show more understanding until we find our way out of this situation.”

Doctors in government-owned hospitals in the state, under the aegis of Medical Guild, on April 24 embarked on an indefinite strike, to demand for payment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.

The doctors had earlier gone on a three-day warning strike between April 11^th to 13^th over the same issue, before embarking on an indefinite strike when those demands were not met.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Medical Advisory Committee to the State Governor Dr. Ore Falomo, also suggested that the state would not give in to the demands of the doctors, but rather replace any involved in the strike.