HEALTH workers in federal, states and local governments’ health institutions began a three-day warning strike today, with a vow to make it total. 

 

Essentially, the medical workers, who spoke in Lagos yesterday at a media briefing, stated that the strike would affect all health institutions and health-related institutions, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). 

 

Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Federal Area Council, Lagos, Ibe Stephen Nwokenta, stated that the workers had no option than to embark on the warning strike to press home the need for government to enforce all agreements it entered with them, as well as various court judgments in their favour.

 

Health workers, under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU)/Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations, had declared a three-day warning strike beginning from today after a meeting they jointly had with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Abuja last week Thursday to discuss various agreements they had with government. 

 

Declaring the strike last week, the workers said it is aimed to “protest the grave injustice and persistent industrial discrimination against our members” by the government, discriminatory practices against health professionals in implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) in favour of doctors’ Consolidated Salary Structure (CONMESS), continued reign of impunity, arbitrariness and non-implementation of duly approved schemes of service of members in hospitals and ministries and selective and discriminatory increases in wages and allowances of one group in a multidisciplinary sector without commensurate treatment to other members of the sector. 

 

Nwokenta said all health workers and professionals, including medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists, information and record officers would participate in today’s strike. 

 

Others expected to participate in the warning strike, according to Nwokenta, include security personnel, gatemen, hospital engineers, hospital technicians, hospital administrators and mortuary attendants. 

 

The union leader warned that no health institution is expected to render skeletal services while the strike lasts, adding that sanction awaits any branch and union leader that allows skeletal services under its and his jurisdiction.

 

He called on well-meaning Nigerians to urge government to implement various agreements it entered with the union members, as well as various court judgments in favour of the workers to avoid indefinite strike planned to begin 14 days after the three-day warning strike that is expected to end on Friday.  

 

Chairman of Lagos State chapter of MHWUN, Omobafemi Daini, noted that government’s willful stand to favour only medical doctors is not going to help matters in the sector, adding that all health workers and professionals across the federation have resolved to join the strike to fight the injustice that confront them all.