The Joint Health Workers’ Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHPA) have directed their members to embark on an indefinite strike.
The National Vice President of JOHESU, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna made this known during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
The JOHESU and AHPA, which comprise healthcare workers, excluding medical doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, complained about the unfair treatment and discrimination of its members by the Federal Ministry of Health, with regards to their welfare, including wages and benefit packages, among others.
The demands of the health workers includes the immediate approval and implementation of the Technical Committee report on Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment by the Federal Government; payment and inculcation of peculiar allowances to health workers under the aegis of JOHESU/AHPA; immediate payment of the omission and Shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in the Federal Health Institutions and recognition of health workers in non-core hospital facilities in the payment of new hazard allowance.
Others are: the immediate and unconditional implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant cadre, unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and April and May, 2018 salaries of members at NOFIC, Azare; and the speedy implementation of the increase in retirement age from 60 to 65 years, and 70 years for Consultants in the health professions.
JOHESU/AHPA is the umbrella body of four registered Trade Unions which includes: Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and Non-Academic Staff Union of universities and Associated Institutions (NASU).
Recall that the unions had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, which commenced on May 10, 2023, and expired on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, to meet its demands.
The unions, however, expressed their readiness to work with the government and all other relevant stakeholders in the health sector to improve the efficiency of the health sector.
Dr Obinna said, “Consequent upon the nonchalant, bias and lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Ministry of Health against JOHESU members and the resolution of the expanded National Executive Council meeting of the JOHESU held on Monday, May 8, 2023, our members in Federal Health Institutions nationwide are hereby directed to withdraw their services indefinitely commencing from 00:00 hour on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
“It is on record that we have shown enough patriotism in the last four years of this administration and in public interest by not embarking on any industrial action even though our counterparts like the NMA and NARD have gone on strike severally during the lifespan of this administration, only to be rewarded for their unending recklessness.
“We solicit the understanding of consumers of health pending when acceptable redress of our demands will be met.”