By
The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of
Health Care Professionals and
National Union of Allied Health Professionals( JOHESU/NUAHP)
has given the Federal Government grace of up to September 30, 2017,
within which to meet its demands failure of which it would have no other option
than to shut down health care services nationwide.
In a release signed by Comrade Obinna Ogbonna, the
National President, and Comrade Obisesan O.A., National Secretary, the union
said the ultimatum was expected to elapse on September 12, 2017 but that it
extended it to September 30, considering other mobilisation factors and to give
the government further room to address their demands.
The demands are as highlighted below are revamping
the infrastructure in the tertiary health institutions, report of the
inter-ministerial sub-committee on critical matters in the health sector,
professional autonomy, headship of departments/units in hospitals and Enhanced
Entry Point (EEP) for medical laboratory scientists and radiographers.
Others border on non-payment of backlog of
arrears, residency training for other health professionals, appointments of
consultants and payment of specialist allowance, Surgeon general, National
Health Act implementation, retirement age for teaching hospital staff,
abolition of the position on Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee
(DCMAC).
The rest are skipping of CONHESSx 10 and payment
of arrears in compliance with National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN)
judgment, adjustment of the CONHESS salary structure, stagnation and
nomenclature, AMLSN/BMLS issues in UCH, appointment of other health
professionals as consultants and payment of the specialist allowance.
They also demanded for the appointment of CMDs/MDs
of tertiary hospitals in accordance with the extant laws, reneging on
collectively bargained agreements, call duty allowances for health information
managers and dieticians and others, sabbatical leave/annual leave, pension
arrears and taxation.
The group further highlighted other discriminatory
attitudes by the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Labour and
Employment (FMOH/FML&E), other
health care professionals as part
of their grievances.
JOHESU also decried what it described as wrong and selfish interpretation of
Decree 10 of 1985, the law that governs teaching hospitals since 1985 till date
and refusal to honour and implement collectively bargained agreement since
2009.
Others grievances are refusal to honour Industrial
Arbitration Panel and National Industrial Court Awards/Judgements; introduction
of partisan and discriminatory remuneration packages in favour of medical
practitioners.
JOHESU also raised the issue of having made NMA
members minister since 1999 to date, with myriad of crises.
It strongly canvassed that in appointing a new
minister of health, members of allied health professionals should be appointed
as the head of the ministry to make for balancing, harmony, social justice,
peace and all round development. The Abudullahi Bello Presidential Committee’s
report on a harmonious work relationship amongst health workers and
professional groups in the health sector in October 2011 had made a similar
recommendation.
Others are non-circularisation and implementation
of Adjusted CONHESS Salary Structure as done for NMA as well as
non-circularisation and implementation of the adjusted CONHESS salary structure
as done for NMA counterparts in the same sector.
They urged well-meaning Nigerians, the royal
fathers and the press to intervene and prevail on government to implement all
agreements and memorandum of understanding reached with NUAHP/JOHESU on or
before the expiration of the ultimatum to avert the looming industrial action.
JOHESU had in a letter dated September 5, sought
audience with the Dr. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate on September 13,
to seek the intervention of the National Assembly in the protracted demands and
agitations between it and the Federal Government.
