Lagos - Nigeria's largest medical union
ordered its members in the commercial capital Lagos to go back
to work on Thursday, ending a strike over alleged police
harassment of doctors as they travelled to and from work during
a night curfew.
The West African country has had more than 6000 confirmed
cases of the coronavirus and 200 deaths. Most of the cases have
been in Lagos, sub-Saharan Africa's biggest city with some 20
million people.
A lockdown in Lagos lasting just over a month was eased on
May 4, but an overnight curfew was put in place nationwide.
Essential workers were given the right to move at all times.
But the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which represents
doctors, said it was not properly implemented and doctors had
been harassed by police.
The union, which ordered Lagos members to cease work
indefinitely from Wednesday evening, said it had received
assurances that doctors would be exempt from the curfew and
would be allowed to move freely.
In a statement, the NMA Lagos branch said the industrial
action "is hereby reversed and our members are hereby directed
to resume work from 6pm. today".