Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has cautioned the striking health workers on the implications of strike on the nation.
Chukwu who cautioned yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing on government position on the issue said that Joint Health Professionals Association, JOHESU, is on strike as a result of failed deliberations between government and members of the health workers union when the body could not form a quorum at the last meeting.
The minister who admitted that the issues could not be resolved by the ministry of health and JOHESU through dialogue and was taken to the National Industrial Court, NIC, by JOHESU cautioned that the nation would be worse off if they continued with the strike.
According to Chukwu, the contending issues which is taken to court include non-skipping of salary CONHESS 10, National Health Bill, NHB, Consultancy by other health workers who are not doctors, and call / SHIFT duty allowance.
The ministry of health has appealed the Industrial Court judgment and the result is not yet out but it appears JOHESU is impatient, adding that they should apply the culture of rule of law instead of going on strike.
Meanwhile at the National Hospital, Abuja where Nigerian Pilot went to monitor the activities, an outpatient who refused disclosing his identity said, ‘’I normally come to the hospital every week for Anastasia treatment but you can see me going home now because all the staff are on strike. I have to go home and rest until the strike is called off’’.
The HOD, Management Information Services, National Hospital, Tayo Haastrup in an interview with Pilot said that other health workers including nurses at the hospital have joined in the strike action but doctors are working fully.
‘’The strike is affecting our health services because those on strike compliment the work of doctors and patients have reduced’’. ‘’ But we try to make sure that it does not tell on our patients and so we make use of the services of corps members and interns who are on ground to do their work’’, Haastrup admitted.