The Delta Government has reversed its order terminating the appointment of 15 medical doctors in the state's public hospitals, who participated in a recent strike by the doctors in the state.
The government also directed that the withheld September salary for all medical doctors who participated in the 17-day strike be paid to them in full.
Medical doctors in the state's public service, under the aegis of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) on Aug. 30, embarked on strike.
The strike, which the doctors said was indefinite, was to protest alleged high-handedness of the Chief Medical Director of the state's Hospital Management Board (HMB), Dr Caroline Ajuyah.
The doctors had threatened that they would not return to work until Ajuyah was removed.
But the government called their bluff and ordered all medical officers whose appointments had not been confirmed by the HMB to return to work or consider their appointments terminated.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Otumara, who stated government's position on the issue, also announced that it would apply the ``no-work-no-pay'' rule on the striking doctors, including consultants.
However, on Sept. 14, the doctors called off the strike and attributed their decision to call of the strike to the intervention of the state chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).
The Chairman of NMA in the state, Dr Chuks Ossai, had explained to NAN that he prevailed on the NAGGMDP members to end the strike.
He said that his intervention was based on an appeal by the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who, according to him, promised to dialogue with the doctors.
But, when workers in the state were paid their September salary, it was discovered that all the doctors who joined in the strike, had the number of days the industrial action lasted, deducted from their salaries.
This action of government was followed on Thursday last week with an announcement by the Health Commissioner that the 15 doctors, who were still under probation and were part of the strike had been sacked.
However, a source close to the health ministry told NAN that government had rescinded the sack of the doctors.
The source also said that government approved the payment of full September salary to all the doctors who participated in the strike.
It was learnt that the reversal of the government's decision was sequel to series of interventions by the national headquarters of NMA, NAGGMDP, and other stakeholders in the health sector.
The interventions culminated in a meeting between the leadership of the doctors and Uduaghan.
Dr Ferdinard Oshonwo, NAGGMDP Chairman in the state, confirmed the reversal of the sack order on the 15 doctors.
He also confirmed the approval of full September salary for all the doctors and expressed gratitude to the governor for ``tampering justice with mercy''.
He said that aside from national leadership of the two medical associations, their branches in other states, Deltans in the Diaspora and some prominent individuals and groups, also intervened in the matter.
The spokesman of the Health Ministry, Mr Churchill Oyowe, confirmed that the governor had pardoned the doctors.
He said that the governor also asked the doctors to apologise to the HMB authorities before the approval would become effective.
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