Nigerian Doctors Begin Nationwide Strike Over Virus Protection

(Bloomberg) --

Nigerian doctors began an indefinite nationwide strike over a lack of protective equipment needed to treat coronavirus cases, as the number of new infections in the West African nation continues to climb.

Doctors are demanding access to “appropriate” personal protective equipment for all health-care workers, along with the payment of revised hazard allowances, the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria said in a statement Monday. They also asked to be paid all owed salary arrears and an end stop to the harassment and assault of medical workers in the line of duty by security agencies.

The body asked its members to stop working until their requests are met.

The number of recorded Covid-19 cases has doubled to more than 400 per day in the past week in Africa’s most populous country. So far, the country has recorded 16,085 infections and 420 deaths, with the nation’s capital of Abuja and its two largest cities -- Lagos and Kano -- reporting almost 10,000 cases in total.

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