By: Saidu Jalloh
Public sector doctors in Sierra Leone are set to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike starting today, Wednesday, October 23, unless the government addresses their longstanding demands regarding fuel allocation.
In a letter dated October 3 to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, the Medical and Dental Association issued a strike notice, which will take effect after a 21-working-day warning period that expired yesterday. Dr. Peter Mac-Jajua, the association’s secretary general, stated that since their reminder letter, no government representatives have reached out for further discussions. Many doctors are reportedly owed fuel allocations for several months, with some having waited up to six months for their quota, while others still face substantial backlogs.
Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby responded, asserting that the government has provided fuel to all verifiable doctors for the first and second quarters and is in the process of finalizing the third-quarter allocations this week. He indicated that the government had attempted to engage with the doctors as recently as this morning but was met with refusal.
Dr. Demby expressed concern over the potential impact of the strike, stating, “It would be regrettable if the industrial action goes ahead because patients will die.” He acknowledged that while the doctors’ demands are legitimate, the government has fulfilled its obligations as best as possible given the country’s competing financial needs.
The doctors are advocating for their weekly fuel entitlement of 45 liters to be disbursed alongside their monthly salaries, which they argue would provide greater reliability. However, the government has dismissed this request, citing potential adverse effects on taxation and other public sector workers.
