The National Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, Biobebelemoye Josiah, has cried out over purported efforts by Nigerian doctors to frustrate ongoing talks to end the four-week-old strike embarked upon by the union.
Mr Josiah, who raised the alarm when he fielded questions from journalists in Abuja, also accused the Ministry of Health of collaborating with the doctors in suppressing JOHESU’s legitimate demands from the government.
JOHESU had on April 17 embarked on industrial action to press home its demands bordering on improved healthcare facilities and welfare.
But the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, had on Wednesday confirmed that negotiations were on with JOHESU to end the strike.
He said: “Negotiations are still on with JOHESU and the Minister of Labour is leading the negotiation, and we expect that we will conclude on all issues very soon.’’
The president of JOHESU, however, alleged that the two ministers of health were not serious in ending the strike in view of their position in support of the demands of the doctors at the detriment of JOHESU.
He said: “This very agreement was entered into and then a memo was made to Mr President as they claimed even though they gave us a copy later.
“When they made this memo it was in December and the ministry of health defended her budget in February, but did not deem it to include that the amount it worked for the payment or settlement of this very issue.
“This goes a long way to show that there was dishonesty, insincerity from the beginning on the part of the ministry (Federal Ministry of Health) because most probably the minister is a doctor; minister of state (Health) is a doctor and minister of labour who is supposed to be the chief negotiator, is also a medical doctor.’’
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