management of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has said that the strike by members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) is a threat to Nigerian health sector management.

 

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, at the weekend, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Professor Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, called on the concerned workers to suspend the strike, show patriotism, respect for the nation and human lives.

 

The CMD, who commended members of the union for not embarking on strike in some states of the federation affected by the activities of insurgents, said, “it shows that with patience with the government, the strike may no longer be necessary.”

 

Olatinwo, who viewed health services as that rendered to the survival of humanity rather than for any pecuniary interest, urged members of JOHESU to remember the imperative of the oaths administered to them at the point of joining the sector and promptly return to work.

 

“If you look at what is happening today, you will realise that the Nigerian health sector had, in the recent past, been plagued with avoidable strikes. Last year alone, the health sector went on strike for about 150 days. This is not a good development for the sector and the nation.

 

“Naturally, workers must make demands for improvement in their emoluments and agitate for favourable salaries adjustment. Besides, issues of promotion, establishment and retirement are equally important. While making such demands, however, we need to give the government time to react,” he said.

 

Olatinwo, who lauded the constitution of Yayale Ahmed’s Presidential Committee on JOHESU’s demands, believed that with the Federal Government’s white paper on the committee is in progress, “the union should have been patient with the government rather than issuing several threats, ladened with personal and selfish interests that are not achievable for now.”

 

For the UITH boss, “we need to appreciate some JOHESU members in some institutions, who called off the strike, in order to respond to challenges faced by bomb blast victims, but the great question is: Must we wait until there is a problem of this magnitude before we call off the strike?

 

“We want to say that while the Federal Government is doing everything possible to improve the health sector management, we will not appreciate incessant disruption to the nation’s health sector. We hope that the impasse will be resolved within the shortest possible time. We, therefore, advise the JOHESU members that it will be reasonable at the moment to call off the strike.”

 

 

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Dr Ezeonu Paul Olisemeka, warned striking members of JOHESU, to suspend its industrial action or risk sack.

 

The CMD issued the threat in Abakaliki, the state capital, at the weekend, while briefing newsmen on the current strike.

 

According to him, “the hospital management will, adopt ‘No work, no pay policy, if the striking workers exhibit non -compliance,” he said.

 

“I appeal to the striking workers to suspend the strike and resume duties immediately,” he said.

 

Dr Ezeonu said: “The attitude of the health workers, who had been out of work for three months is a disservice to humanity,” he added.

 

He said chief medical directors of teaching hospitals across the country had been directed to enlighten the public on the issue and make a special appeal to the union to suspend the strike.

 

The CMD said the Federal Government had earlier set up a committee on the matter, headed by the former Secretary to the Federal Government, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, stressing that the white paper had been released.

 

Speaking against the backdrop of the harrassment of some of the workers willing to return to work by union leaders, Dr Ezeonu warned such leaders to desist from such acts, as defaulters would be dealt with accordingly.

 

In the same vein, the Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, Professor Temitope Alonge, appealed that the JOHESU strike be called off, saying the hospital had lost over N1 billion to strikes since July, 2014.

 

Professor Alonge, speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, said aside the human consequences of the ongoing strike, the hospital had lost over N600 million to the JOHESU strike and another N400million to the NMA strike.

 

The CMD, who said the challenges in the health sector were based on issues that could be resolved amicably, assured that already, the total cost of relativity in pay, one of the issues JOHESU was demanding for, had already been addressed by the Federal Government.

 

Alonge, who noted that the Federal Government was willing to continue to dialogue with JOHESU, declared, “on relativity, one arm of the health workers cannot have it and other starved.”

 

The don, who stated that the budget office had been notified as to the inclusion of these allowances in the 2015 budget, said what was left was for the National Assembly to review its total cost, taking into consideration the amount each institute earmarked.

 

While asserting that the Federal Government did not deliberately jettison the dialogue with JOHESU in December, he pleaded that the group called off its strike while the negotiations continued.

 

According to him, “we cannot do without JOHESU, every health care professional is key to the delivery of good health care delivery to Nigerians.”