•Striking Joint Health Sector Union insists on demands

 

During the meeting of the National Council of Nigeria Medical Association (NCNMA) recently, in Jos, Plateau State, where over 400 doctors attended from across the federation, Dr. Kayode Obembe, the president of the association said that the politicization of national health policies is responsible for the challenges being faced in the sector.

 

He admitted that though gains have been recorded in the sector over the last decade, the country should not lose focus of the aims of the founding fathers which is to make the health system one of the best in the world.

 

The Supervisory Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Edmund Banwat, noted government’s resolve towards ensuring best services within the available resources at the quickest possible time.

 

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sara Ochepe, who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant, Prof. Dibis Mailafia, emphasized the role of water in promoting and sustaining the health of Nigerians, especially through water sanitation and hygiene campaign.

 

Mrs. Ochepe called on NNMA to fight quackery, illegal health institutions and fake drugs that has contributed in denting the image of the country in the comity of nations.

 

The Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Paul White, stated that the state is working on strategies that will enhance health workers retention which will encourage them to work in the rural areas.

 

The Plateau State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Pokop Hopeweather, described the theme of this year’s meeting which was “Efficient Healthcare Delivery: An Indicator of Good Governance,” and he harped especially on it as the country approaches the 2015 elections.

 

Meanwhile, the ongoing strike of the Joint Health Sector Union has affected the smooth running of the health sector in no little means.

 

In Abuja, some residents who are victims of the strike embarked upon by the union in the state are full of lamentations. 

 

“There are no workers here and nobody is working. When I came here, it was only the doctors who were working and I’m surprised over the development,” said Alhiru Ahmed.

 

“I recently gave birth to a baby boy through C.S. and I’m here for my treatment. I just came into the hospital and I don’t really know what to do. It is only the doctors that are working.”

 

 

Though the union has been admonished to sheathe their sword, and to find a lasting solution to the crises in the interest of patients, the situation has resulted in non-admittance of new patients since the process for such has been hampered by the industrial action.

 

The strike which started on November 19, 2014, initially involved only federal health institutions but by last week the effect has increased when state and local government health institutions joined the action.

 

The Vice Chairman of Joint Health Sector Union, Dr. Ayuba Waba, highlighted the demands of the striking union as: “Non-promotion of our members from salary CONHESS 14 to 15 as directors having stayed for 14 and 15 years on the same salary grade level in spite of the provision on our various schemes of service.

 

“The immediate release of circular on the adjustment of salaries since January 2014, that is due our members because there was a process of collective agreement between the federal government and the Joint Health Sector Union.

 

The National Secretary of the union, Yusuff Badmus, said that though series of meetings have been held with the Ministry of Health but without any positive result.

 

“The doctors, whom they believe can take care of everything and do the work of other health professionals, cannot do it. Go to any hospital and see, everywhere is closed,” he informed.

An eye witness at Wuse General Hospital, in Abuja, confessed that the doctors are handicapped in the successful performance of their duties due to the absence of the usual assistance they get from other supporting health workers.

 

Especially is the treatment of emergency cases which the doctors find difficult to handle without the help of other professionals, so the result is that patients are turned back with a promise to attend to their cases as soon as possible which has not been possible due to the strike.

 

It is a known fact that hospitals cannot function without the services of other professionals in the health sector.

“Patients are coming but there is nobody to make payment to, nobody to issue cards, even though doctors are on ground to work, when all these things are not in place doctors really can’t work.”

 

The Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, insisted that most of the demands of the union have been met and that the strike is uncalled for.

 

“The union demanded for adjustment of salary for the union members, it was done as it was done for NMA to match one-to-one including the payment of two months arrears for adjustment on CONHESS, a sub-committee was set up to look into the financial implication of these demands and the report has been submitted and a sum of N8.7 billion was computed by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.”

 

In Lagos State, on a visit to the once ever busy Lagos Island Hospital on Broad Street, the story is not different as the place looks scanty with very few patients seen at the hospital premises. The reception area that used to be jammed with people seeking for information was empty and there was no officer on the information desk at the time of visit.

At the Family Medical Department and Surgical Out-Patient Department, doctors were seen on duty attending to patients alone except for few nurses that were seen on duty wearing mufti in solidarity for the strike.

 

The casualty section of the hospital seems to be the worst hit. The unit which used to be crowded with patients and their family members was almost empty. The few nurses found at the section were also in mufti.

 

A pathetic case was that of a patient who was found lying on the iron seat placed at the entrance of the unit with his vomit unattended to. He was seen lying there probably because there was no officer to process his admission while the medical doctors at the unit seemed helpless.

 

With the situation getting worse, however, the Health Minister has urged the striking union to go back to work in the interest of the patients.

 

By: OKEY OBIOZO