In what may appear as a clash of
interest in the health sector, a body
called the Joint Health Sector Union
(JOHESU) Thursday directed health
workers in federal hospitals to
commence an indefinite strike
throughout Nigeria, while medical
doctors under the umbrella of the
Nigeria Medical Association (NMA),
who are opposed to the action, have
been enjoined to ensure that the
delivery of health services in
hospitals are not interrupted.
JOHESU said the industrial action
would commence only at federal
hospitals from 21st August, 2013,
adding that other hospitals at
state and local governments shall
join on 28th August, 2013 if its
demands were not met by then.
The health workers, also regarded as
hospital assistants had demanded
among others, the non-skipping of
Salary Consolidated Health Salary
Structure (CONHESS) 10,
implementation of National Health
Bill, Consultancy and Specialist
Allowances and Call/Shift Duty and
other professional allowances.
Their demands, however, perceived
as unjustifiable by the doctors have
drawn the battle line between the
two unions as the doctors are of the
opinion that both bodies should
work in tandem to provide health
services for the public.
In a statement by JOHESU, directing
all its members to embark on
indefinite strike, the body which
reiterated its call for the removal of
Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi
Chukwu, said the inconveniences
resulting from their strike should be
blamed on the minister for failing to
implement the agreements the
Nigerian government reached with
the health workers.
“While we sincerely apologize the
inconveniences this action may cause
Nigerians, the Minister of Health,
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, should be
held responsible," the union said.
However, sources in the NMA alleged
that the health workers were simply
asking to be at par with the doctors
in every ramification, especially
remuneration. Commenting on the
issue Thursday, President of NMA, Dr.
Osahon Enabulele, told
SaharaReporters that the health
workers were being unrealistic with
most of their demands.
“Already, they went to court and the
court granted some of their requests
but they are not talking about those
ones. They simply harp on the ones
that were turned down and they want
to embark on strike”, Enabulele
said. He clarified that CONHESS 10
skipping meant that they were
already granted privilege of ‘skipping’
grades in the work level which makes
the workers also to demand other
benefits associated with it.
In a statement by the NMA
president Thursday, he said the NMA
has no trouble with the workers
demanding what they believe was
due to them, but that the delivery of
health services should not be denied
the public as a result of the action.
“While we have nothing against the
right of people to determine how
best to actualize their demands, we
shall however not tolerate any
attempt to obstruct medical and
dental practitioners in the course of
rendering their official duties.
“In line with the foregoing, the
Nigerian Medical Association wishes
to use this medium to direct all
doctors nation-wide to remain at
their duty posts and to work
relentlessly to render uninterrupted
services, particularly for emergencyv
cases, in all public hospitals," the
statement said.
Another union in the health
sector, National Union of Allied
Health Professionals (NUAHP), had on
Monday embarked on an indefinite
strike at the University Teaching
Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State,
Nigeria leading to the non-availability
of health services to patients.
NUAHP had indicated that it
would suspend its strike
on Thursday, 22nd August, 2013 but
JOHESU, which still comprises the
health workers, would be on strike.
Some of NUAHP’s demands are the
abolition of appointment of only full
time staff of universities as chief
executives of teaching hospitals and
Federal Medical Centres; abolition of
offices of Deputy Chairman, Medical
Advisory Committee; the release of
the interview conducted for
members of the union to the posts
of directors; stoppage of imposition
of medical practitioners as heads of
department over other professionals
and the immediate removal of the
Minister of Health.
The NMA has criticized the
demands as a ploy of wanting to
be at par with professional doctors.
Sources in the NMA said the
doctors suspected that the health
workers were planning to hinder
health service delivery
from Thursday by locking down
hospitals and laboratories so that
the doctors would not have access to
work.
“We also call on all Chief Medical
Directors/Medical Directors to
ensure sustained provision of
clinical/healthcare services to
Nigerians in all public hospitals, by
providing adequate security, and
ensuring access to hospital materials,
equipment and other healthcare
facilities in the hospitals.
“We strongly urge them to remain
committed to their God-given
responsibility of offering quality
healthcare services to the toiling and
long deprived people of Nigeria, in
all public hospitals," NMA said.
mobile.saharareporters.com/news-page/doctors-health-workers-loggerheads-over-strike

God help the Nigerian health sector. Front page plssss!

The health sector really needs a neutral leader / adminstrator that wld bring an end to dis incessant strikes caused by lots of disparity amongst medical personnels.

Nigeria administrators are thieves. How many govt hospitals have collapsed? But think of companies, banks etc that ve run down by administrators e.g nitel, people bank of ng, national bank. What can help is for govt to unbundled health sectors like phcn by introducing ppp and health insurance for citizens.

@Laalamed, if the do that in this poverty stricken country, how many people do you think will be able to afford healthcare?