AS the effect of the industrial action embarked on by Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) continues to take toll on health sector across the country, members of the unions have vowed to continue the strike until their demands were met by the federal government.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the national general secretary of NUAHP, Mr Obinna Ogbonna called on JOHESU members not to be intimidated by the antics of various hospital managements, insisting that ‘the strike would be sustained.”
He maintained that well meaning Nigerians and royal fathers were being contacted to plead with the government to accede to their demands, which he said had lingered for more than five years.
While listing their demands to include “adjustment of CONHESS salary, as done for the NMA in the same sector; payment of arrears on skipping of CONHESS 10 since year 2010; appointment of NUAHP and JOHESU members as Chief Medical Directors (CMDs); promotion of our members from CONHESS 14 to 15 for over ten years,” among others, Ogbonna also called for the immediate circularisation of retirement age of health care workers from 60 to 65 years.
He, however, lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for setting up committee to look into their demands, stressing that “there were areas of concern in Yayale Ahmed Presidential Report that will continue to generate disharmony among health professionals if not properly addressed before white paper is published.”
Commenting on the negative impacts of the strike action, Ogbonna said members of the public should not perceive JOHESU and NUAHP as being insensitive and mean, assuring that “we are ready to resume work, if only the government is ready to address our issues positively.”
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