By Moses Adeniyi
Deepening of prevailing crisis in Nigeria’s health sector looms as health workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Unions, (JOHESU) have threatened to shut down Federal Government owned hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the Country as its 15-day ultimatum is set to elapse by Saturday.
The unions in a reminder statement on Tuesday signed by its National Chairman, Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, have expressed their move to shut government owned hospitals and health facilities, should the government by the end of the ultimatum fail to address the concerns they have raised.
It would be recalled that health workers under the aegis of JOHESU, and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) had on Friday, September, 17, issued a 15-day strike notice to the Federal Government over the alleged inability of the latter to address some of the grievances raised by the workers.
In the communique issued on Friday 17th September, following an expanded National Executive Council meeting, comprising Presidents and General Secretaries of affiliate unions, the stakeholders had deliberated on the state of the negotiation at the conciliation meetings between JOHESU and the Federal Government since the declaration of the trade dispute through the earlier 15-day strike notice issued on the 2nd of September, 2021, which elapsed on 18th September, 2021.
The Unions stated that while they were aware of the appeal from President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to show understanding with his administration and the President’s pledge to pay any debt owed health workers, they argued it was essential for Federal Government “to act according to agreements reached.”
The Unions further requested the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure speedy circularisation of all establishment and welfare matters as agreed during negotiation meetings.
They further charged the Federal Government to “reciprocate the patriotic humanitarian gesture of JOHESU in the interest of the larger Nigerian masses to expeditiously resolve all the demands within the fifteen days window,” arguing that they unanimously adopted a resolution to step down the first notice of strike action which expired midnight on 17th September 2021 and issued a fresh notice of fifteen (15) days.
The demands of the Unions as conditions needed to be met to avert the strike in the Tuesday’s statement, read: “It is pertinent to draw the attention of the Federal Government to our fresh fifteen (15) days strike Notice, which is billed to expire in the next few days and for it to act to avoid shutdown of hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
“We wish also to inform the general public that our NEC noted the appeal from President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to show understanding with his administration and the President’s pledge to pay any debt owed health workers.
“We would also wish to note some of the resolutions reached at the end of our not struck how that we are not strike mongers, but just for the federal government to act according to agreements reached.
“We have asked the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure speedy circularisation of all establishment and welfare matters as agreed during negotiation meetings.
“We equally asked the Federal Government to ensure that the new data for the computation of the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for JOHESU members be submitted to the ‘High Level Body’ (HLB) of the FG no later than Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 as agreed.
“We also urged the Federal Government to ensure that the ‘High Level Body’ (HLB) complete and submit the computation of the adjusted CONHESS for inclusion in the 2022 budget on or before the 30th of September, 2021 submission window.
“We charged the Federal Government to reciprocate the patriotic humanitarian gesture of JOHESU in the interest of the larger Nigerian masses to expeditiously resolve all the demands within the fifteen days window.
“We unanimously adopted a resolution to step down the first notice of strike action which expired midnight on 17th September 2021 and issued a fresh notice of fifteen (15) days.
“While we push for better welfare and conditions of service for our members, we urge the Federal Government to reflect the promises of Mr. President in the activities relating to our demands to ensure continuous industrial harmony in the health sector.”
Joining the lingering strike by Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in the Country which commenced since August 02, would further plunge Nigeria’s health sector into crises as the health professionals have declared their resolve to sustain the strike unless their demands are met.