Health workers under the
auspices Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare
Professional Associations (AHPA) have declared seven days nationwide warning
strike commencing from midnight of Oct. 25.
The National President,
JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the end of
the unions’ expanded National Executive Council (NEC) hybrid meeting in Abuja
on Friday.
Minjibir regretted that,
thus far, the unions were yet to get any positive response from the federal
government on some of the critical issues raised in-spite of repeated
assurances during meetings with the relevant Ministries, Departments and
Agencies (MDAs).
“If at the end of the
seven days warning strike, the federal government fails to meet our demands,
JOHESU have no other option than to embark on an indefinite strike action.
“Nigerians should note
that, this action would have been avoided if the federal government had, within
the window of the 15-day notice of strike or ultimatum, responded by utilising
all options available in the relevant provisions of the Trade Disputes Act Cap.
T8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to apprehend this dispute of right.
“JOHESU is always
committed to the use of the instrumentality of social dialogue to resolve
matters affecting the welfare and working conditions of members.
”We shall, therefore,
keep all our channels of communication open during this period,” he said.
It would be recalled that
the unions had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government on Oct. 10,
2024, to address the issues or risk total shut down of its operations in
hospitals nationwide.
The workers were
demanding the immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, immediate payment
of 25 per cent CONHESS Review arrears (June – Dec., 2023), and Immediate
payment of nine (9) months’ (Jan – Sept. 2024) salary to workers of Regulatory
Agencies.
Other demands are the
immediate restoration of funding to Environmental Health Regulatory Council,
immediate reconstitution of Boards/Governing Councils of Federal Health
Institutions.
They are also demanding
the commencement of the process to upward review of retirement age of health
workers through Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to the Federal
Executive Council.
Other issues under
contention included tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, immediate
payment of COVID 19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers.
They are also demanding
immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of National Health
Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA).
Also, JOHESU is demanding
the withdrawal of the unlawful Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP) by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as well
as the full implementation of approved entry point, call duty and other allowances
for holders of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D).
Members of JOHESU
affiliate Unions are from the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria
(MHWUN) and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).
Others are Senior Staff
Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and
Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of
Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).(NAN)
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