The Senate, on Tuesday, pleaded with the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, to end the over three-weeks strike it is still engaged in.
It said the industrial action has affected the health sector across the country.
The union had on April 18 embarked on industrial action due to the “insensitivity and lackadaisical attitude of drivers of the health sector’’.
The Senate’s resolution was sequel to a motion on “Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Need to Take Precautionary Measures” moved by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) during plenary.
The upper chamber also urged the Minister of Interior to take necessary steps to check immigration.
Tinubu recalled that an infected immigrant, Mr Patrick Sawyer, who arrived Nigeria in July 23, 2014 was notable for been the index case for the Ebola virus into Nigeria.
Tinubu, who doubles as Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, said the tide, as at then, was stemmed by quick response of the government.
She said that recent reports by the WHO showed that the disease was back in neighboring Congo with 19 deaths and 39 infected casualties recorded so far.
“The WHO states that Nigeria and other African countries are at risk of spread,” the lawmaker remarked.
Contributing, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olushola Adeyeye called on the Senate to intervene for a quick resolution of the ongoing strike by health workers
On his part, Senator Victor Umeh (APGA-Anambra) noted that “prevention of the disease was better than cure.
“We must ensure that Nigeria is not taken unawares again. We should be on the alert,” he said.
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