Activities at Federal Medical Centre Makurdi has been grounded as medical workers comply with the complete withdrawal of services to protest alleged under-staffing, deductions, and arrears of skipping allowances.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo, made the allegation while reacting to the complete withdrawal of services by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), alleging inadequate medical doctors in public hospitals, demand for the payment of arrears of skipping allowance and arbitral tax deductions.

But the state chairman of NMA, Doctor Isaiah Obekpa insist, the strike action will continue if the government and the management of the Federal Medical Centre refuse to rescind the arbitral tax deductions.

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Dr. Peteru Inunduh, blamed the NMA for inciting industrial disharmony without jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has accused the state chapter of the NMA of engaging in professional misconduct by declaring total strike and forcing consultants out of hospitals.

On the issue of under staffing, the state government say, it has 95 medical doctors against the the NMA claim of just 50 doctors.

The government say, all skipping allowances have been paid up to date except for the arrears it inherited.

The state government is appealing to the striking doctors to abort the strike for the sake of the sanctity of human lives.