R-L: President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Olumide Akintayo; President, AMLSN and Chairman, Assembly     of     Healthcare      Professional Associations (AHPA), Dr. Godswill  Okara; Chairman, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Comrade Wabba Ayuba, and President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mr. Abdulrafiu Adeniji during a press briefing jointly organised by AHPA and JOHESU on latest developments in the health sector at Pharmacy House, Anthony Village, Lagos recently.

By Chioma Umeha

Those who thought that the last three-days’ warning strike by members of the  Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Associations (AHPA) will prompt government’s quick response to the agitation of health workers in Nigeria may be making great mistakes. The end to the recent crisis among health workers seemed not yet in sight as the leaders of the JOHESU and AHPA have given government fresh ultimatum on their demands.

The leaders gave the ultimatum after appraising all agreements it earlier reached with the government during a two-day meeting held between Monday and Tuesday in Abuja.

A communiqué signed by the leaders among who were  including: , President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Olumide Akintayo; Chairman, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) Comrade Wabba Ayuba, and Secretary, Joint Health Sector Union Com. Yusuf-Badmus listed major issues in their demand.

The new resolutions among others things stated that the over-politicisation and dichotomy in the health system had unduly conferred favours to medical doctors to the detriment of other health-care professionals.

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) is made up of major unions including: Medical and Health Workers Union; Nigeria Union of Allied Health-professionals; National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives , Senior   Staff   Association   of   Universities   Teaching   Hospitals   and Research Institutes.

The health professionals said that their evaluation showed that the composition of the boards of Federal Health institutions  skewed in favour of medical practitioners where there are eight to nine medical practitioners on the 13-member board only one health professional/worker represents other health professionals/workers who constitute over 90 per cents of the workforce.

They therefore demanded the boards of the Federal Health Institutions be reconstituted in line with the enabling statute and the agreements and in such a way that this will be corrected.

According to the communiqué, JOHESU/AHPA critically reviewed matters pertaining to increase in the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 years and agreed that the way forward was an immediate circularisation of the review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years in line with the May 10, 2012 agreement with JOHESU.

The leaders of health workers also solicited   an   urgent implementation   of the ‘2008 Job Evaluation Report’ to scientifically sustain the tenets of relativity within the ranks of healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

They further canvassed for the application of sanctions on Chief Executive Officers of Federal Health Institutions who refused to promote deserving healthcare professionals before the end of the first quarter of 2014 in line with existing circulars duly approved by Government.

The health workers called on the Head of Civil Service of the federation to immediately issue   the   enabling   circular placing   intern   medical   laboratory scientists on CONHESS 8 Step 2 and CONHESS 9 after Youth service.

They urged government to check the impunity of Chief Medical   Directors and   Medical   Directors who   have continually refused to implement circulars with respect to skipping of CONHESS 10 and payment of the accrued arrears.

They also bemoaned the “lackadaisical attitude” with which the Federal Ministry of Health had handled the health workers’ case in National Industrial Court, Abuja.

he health sector had different professionals, adding that they should be allowed to be regulated and supervised by their various professional bodies as stipulated in their professional guidelines