The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike come April 17, 2018, if the Federal Government refused to implement an agreement reached on the 30th of September, 2017.
The Union made the threat, through its National President, Comrade Ogbonna Obinna Chimela, when National Officials of NUAHP paid an advocacy visit on the CMD of JUTH in his office in Jos, the Plateau State Capital.
Chimela said, “The essence of this mobilization and sensitization is to call the attention of the government to our lingering issues on their table.”
He recalled that since 2009 the Union had been recounting that there was a collectively bargained agreement between the Union and government.
“Then on the 30th September, 2017, another agreement was reached with the federal government, and in that agreement, the federal government promised that within five weeks, they would attend to our issues, and this time around we should just trust them.
“We considered the plight of our patients, because they are poor Nigerians, if we continue to withhold services, they may not have the financial capability to go for medical tourism outside the country.
“Sir as I speak now, the issues are still not attended to fully, in the sense that some of the topical issues that are generating the animosity are still not attended to,” he said.
Chimela who is also the Vice President of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), lamented the state of the health institutions in the country, especially in the area of consumables and equipment.
“The highlight of the issues is that of the adjusted CONHESS; it has been done for the medical practitioners, they adjusted theirs on the 3rd January, 2014, and immediately two months arrears was proposed and paid to them to pacify them, the remaining ten months was paid in 2015; they are done with theirs, but ours is still lingering.
“We have come to this region for JUTH to be the pivotal centre, where we shall reach out to other centres in the North Central”, he explained.
“Now we are appealing to you Sir, because you represent the Federal Ministry of Health here, and secondly you are the eye of Mr. President.
“That there is a looming strike, we have given the government another 30 working days, starting from the 5th March, 2018, and the ultimatum would expire on the 17th April, 2018.
“That is a good enough time for the government that is sensitive to the plight of its people to address our issues.
“But if the government fails in her responsibility, and push us to the wall, then we shall use our last weapon, which is withdrawing our services against our desire and will.
“If anybody dies during the process of withdrawal of our services, their blood will not be on our head, it will be on the head of the government”, he warned.
He further warned that if governments failed to meet its demands, the States and Local Governments of the Union would join in withdrawal of services.
Responding, the Chief Medical Director of JUTH, Edmund Banwat, said, “Unionism in the health sector is a very peculiar one, because the health sector is peculiar; that is why unionism in this sector should not be equated with those in the other sectors, because life is involved.”
Banwat assured that the issues raised would be channeled to the appropriate authority.
“But let me appeal, that continuous engagement is a way of life, confrontation should be the very last resort.
“We have a listening President, and I will say we have not exhausted our consultations, to warrant whatever confrontation you are putting down.
“You have given a thirty-day ultimatum, I will urge that as you continue to sensitize your members, across the various zones, do it with a human face, because the health sector as a whole deals with life”.
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