-Deborah Akinyosoye
Health workers under the auspices Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have declared a seven-day 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).