Posted on: Wed 09-09-2020

Nigeria’s fragile health system is likely to deteriorate with attendant unpalatable consequences, especially in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic if Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) makes good their threat to commence a nationwide strike of members in all the federal health institutions come Sunday.

Nigeria is battling with a number of crushing health indicators including malaria, tuberculosis and infant and maternal mortality, all of which have a sweeping impact on productivity.

With a health budget of below five percent which experts described as ‘unacceptably low’ Nigeria ranks 152 out of 157 countries on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index. Amid calls for increased investment in healthcare which experts have linked to economic growth to reduce poverty, the World Bank estimates that Nigeria is one of seven countries that are home to nearly half the global population.

The Union on Monday warned that there is no going back on its scheduled strike in all the Federal Health Institutions (FHI) if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands by mid-night of September 13, 2020.

JOHESU also placed states and local government health institutions on red alert for possible entry into the fray if the Federal Government foot-drags in attending its demands.

Addressing a press conference on September 7, 2020 at Ayuba Wabba House, MHWUN Headquarters, Garki, Abuja, Comrade Bio Joy Josiah, National Chairman of JOHESU, said the purpose of the briefing was to announce some salient positions of JOHESU on the state of the nation and outstanding benefit packages to JOHESU members.

Recall that JOHESU had in a letter to the Minister of Health on August 28, 2020 given a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address all outstanding issues concerning the welfare of its members, failure of which it would embark on strike to back its demands.

Stating that the issues at stake include state of the nation and outstanding welfare packages for JOHESU members. Comrade Josiah said it had become imperative that JOHESU formally draws the attention of Nigerians to some outstanding welfare packages for its members.

He said JOHESU finds it particularly worrisome that some of the demands which are specific court judgments, collective bargaining agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) had been treated with levity and violated outright for almost a decade in some instance.

He listed some of the lingering welfare challenges of the members to include review of implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance; withheld April and May, 2018 salaries of members; adjustment of CONHESS salary structure and implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR ) consent judgment.

JOHESU demanded that FG must come-up with COVID-19 palliatives to the citizenry while improving service delivery and remedial measures to combat failing and decaying infrastructural facilities. This is just as it said it was forced to draw attention to the deliberate short-changing of JOHESU members in the payment of COVID-19 Inducement Allowances.

“The FMoH ought to redress and supervise the adherence to payment of 40 percent or 50 percent COVID-19 Special Inducement Allowances as appropriate to all health workers in Isolation Centres, the FHIs or other related health facilities without discrimination bordering on clinical or non-clinical status based on our MoU of April 21, 2020 and as admitted by the Federal Ministry of Health at a meeting of July 1, 2020, that the payment of 10 percent was done in error. Consequently, FMoH agreed to correct the anomaly and pay the outstanding balance of 40 percent of Consolidated Basic Salary to all beneficiaries.

“The Federal Government did not ensure total and full implementation of the July 1, 2020 agreement between JOHESU and the Federal Government when it disbursed the third tranche of the allowance for June, 2020 which makes it become absolutely impossible to guarantee industrial harmony within the generality of JOHESU members,” he explained.

JOHESU also demanded immediate payment of the percent to the appropriate 50 percent of basic salaries paid all clinical staff in the FHIs.

The other demand is unconditional payment of all withheld salaries at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, JUTH, LUTH and the compliments of April and May, 2018 salaries which he described as vindictively authorised by the wicked and malicious Isaac Adewole administration at the FMoH.

The union said it found it extremely necessary to inform consumers of health about challenges of all withheld salaries of members in JUTH, FMC Owerri, LUTH and April and May, 2018, for all members nationwide. This was hinged on a selective “No Work No Pay” resolution of the Federal Executive Council.

“It is on record that the controversial “No work No Pay” policy of the Federal government has never been applied in any sector of the economy except JOHESU members in the Health Sector. In one instance, ASUU was on strike for at least three months in 2017, yet their salaries were never withheld. Even as recent as March 2020 ASUU commenced indefinite strike and their salaries and emoluments were not withheld. When Medical Practitioners (Medical Doctors) were on strike, no such obnoxious policy was used against them (Resident Doctors) in LUTH for six weeks in 2018.) In the month of July, 2020, Medical Practitioners went on strike nationwide and their emoluments were not withheld either.

“Once again we refer the stakeholders in nation building to the 2017 Terms of Settlement we had with the Federal Government on September 30, 2017 which forbade victimisation of those who participated in the April and May 2018 strike which was a direct consequence of the failure of the Federal Government to implement the Terms of Settlement within five weeks of signing same.

At a meeting of stakeholders held on June 8, 2020 comprising government officials, unions and professional associations in the health sector, the Minister FML&P pronounced that all withheld salaries of our members in JUTH, FMC Owerri, LUTH including the withheld April and May Salaries of JOHESU members shall be paid by government.

“The Federal Government should authorise the Hon. Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Barr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) to lead the Federal Government team that would redress the clamour for the adjustment of CONHESS as was done with CONMESS to guarantee fairness and justice to all parties concerned as it was when Late Barr. James Ocholi (SAN),” JOHESU also appealed.

It reasoned that Ocholi was saddled with the same responsibility in 2016, the governments should mandate Keyamo to handle the matter, alleging that Dr. Chris Ngige would be impartial in a matter between health workers and Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) since he is a doctor.

JOHESU alleged; “It has become too obvious that Dr. Chris Ngige has not been able to live up to the status of an ideal arbiter because of his background as a medical doctor who has vested interest to align with the NMA position because he remains a committed member of the professional body.”

It also said Presidency must insist, in tandem with the rule of law, that the FMoH must adhere and obey all the dictates of the consent judgment of the NICN as delivered on March 19, 2019.

JOHESU also drew the attention of the nation to what it described as the tyranny of Governor Nyesom Wike in Rivers State. It said Wike has stopped the remittances of check-off dues to trade unions in Rivers and withheld salaries of JOHESU members in the state.

“Wike is on record not to have paid gratuities to pensioners in Rivers since he emerged in 2015. This is the same governor who has packaged substantial hundreds of millions for judicial officials in his state. He capped his absurdities with the sealing of the NLC state secretariat in recent times,” it said. JOHESU explained that the totality of the events has compelled its Operation Occupy Rivers State on September 8.

On the state of the nation, JOHESU said it has continued to critically evaluate the insecurity of lives and properties in the country.

“This unfortunate development is apparently escalated by poor budgets in relative terms that have been dedicated to fighting insurgency at this critical juncture in nationhood.

“A budget of less than one percent of the GDP like we are spending to fight terrorism in the present discourse is grossly inadequate. A concise effort to reduce the waste and mismanagement of security votes are subjected to will certainly help,” it said.

JOHESU also commended the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government, but noted, “it appears too haphazard to be impactful.” It therefore urged the government to ensure all corruption related investigations and litigations are accelerated and completed.

The body said; “We at JOHESU take cognisance of the deregulation of fuel prices by the PPPRA and we condemn it as out rightly insensitive to the plight of the people just as the introduction of stamp duties to be paid by tenants in properties to the FIRS remains the climax of absurdity.

“It is worrisome that when other countries are offering palliatives as well as reducing inclination towards social dysfunctions, our leaders appear to be sowing seeds of hardship and bitter pills to bring depression to the door step of citizens.”

The JOHESU further called on government to expedite action to ameliorate the pains of the citizenry generally, while specifically improving on gadgetry, equipment and so on in the FHIs for optimal outcome. However, the Union reiterated its commitment to continue to work with the Federal Government and all stakeholders in its bid to improve the ailing and over-stretching health system with necessary reforms in public interest.

“In the light of this, we solicit urgent pro-active measures geared towards avoiding a disruption of services in the health sector by statesmen, traditional rulers, religious bodies and other men of goodwill within the lifespan of pending ultimatum to government in the ultimate national interest,” it said.

Source: independent

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