Nigerian Health Workers Suspend Strike

Following the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), medical workers in Nigeria have announced the suspension of the indefinite strike, which has lingered since mid May.

Under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Allied Healthcare Professionals (NUAHP), the workers declared the industrial dispute last month over some outstanding issues bothering on the welfare of the members.

Par?ts of the issues raised were the urgent need to release a circular to implement an agreement on adjusted salary of all health professionals as done for NMA members since January 2014; Payment of arrears on skipping of CONHESS 10 since year 2010 in compliance with a court judgement and promotion of members from CONHESS 14 to 15 having spent over 15 years on the grade and designated the most senior one as Director/HOD.

The appointment of members as Chief Medical Directors of various tertiary hospitals rather than skewing the position in favour of medical practitioners only and abolition of the post of Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) according to the law was also in contest.

In announcing the suspension of the strike on Tuesday at a press briefing in Ibadan, the President of the union, Obinna Ogbonna, said the decision was based on the meeting held with the FMOH led by the Permanent Secretary, Linus Awute, mni the penultimate week.At the meeting, the NUAHP President disclosed that the Permanent Secretary passionately appealed to the union to suspend the strike with a promise that a committee involving the government and the union’s representatives would be put in place with a template that would fast track the issuance and the implementation of the circulars.

He recalled that the National Administrative Council of the union? last week assessed the impact of the strike through responses from the unit branches across the nation and recommended the suspension of the strike.

The President noted that the decision became imperative based on the fact that the strike had succeeded in drawing the attention of the present administration to the plight of the workers and also in order not to compound the sufferings of the innocent members of the society.

While asking members of the public to help prevail on the Federal Government (FG) to honour its part of the bargain?, the union maintained that it decided to suspend the strike because of the seriousness exhibited by the Permanent Secretary of the FMOH and would not hesitate to go back the moment it observes lack of commitment on the part of the government.