FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH ABUJA

Press Statement on the 3-Day Warning Strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU)

The Honourable Minister of Health, Prof .C.O. Onyebuchi Chukwu is in receipt of a leeter dated 17th January, 2014 from the joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) threatening to proceed on a 3-day warning strike based on an alleged non implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached at the end o the meeting held between the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and JOHESU on the 7th and 8th of January, 2014 at the Conference Room of the Federal Ministry Headquarters, Abuja. (See below)

MEMRANDOM OF UNDERSTANDING REACHED AT THE END OF THE MEETING HELD BETWEEN THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE JOINT HEALTH 

SECTOR UNIONS (JOHESU) ON THE 7TH and 8th OF JANUARY, 2014, AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH, 6TH FLOOR, FEDERAL SECRETARIAT PHASE III, ABUJA

Following a letter of uitimatum to the Honourable minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi chuwu by the Joint Health sector 

 

unions, on the implementation of agreement reached between Government and the joint Health Sector Unions at the meeting held on 6th - 27th August, 2013. Inthe Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the Honourable Minister of Health, invited the Unions to a meeting to which he presided on 7th and 8th of January, 2014 to deliberate on the issues contained were chief Emeka wogu. CON, Honourable Ministry of Labor and Productivity, Ambassador Sani S. Bala,Permanent Secretary Federal of Health and the representative of the Head of Service of the Federation.

2. The Following were the issues presented by tge unions and subsequently deliberated upon:

i. Constitution of the Boards of management of various tertiary health institutions;

ii. Increase in retirement age of health workers:

iii. implementation of 2008 job evalution:

iv. Promotion of officers from CONHESS 14-15:

v. Matters referred to the National industrial court of Nigeria (NICN);

 

3. After an exhaustive deliberation on the above issues it was  unanimously agreed that the agreement reached earlier on the issues stated aboved in the agreement of 26-27th august, 2013 be implemented within the next seven working days when the meeting will reconvene to menitor progress on the following:

Implementation of Skipping of CONHESS10 

Issuance of Circular on Cosultants in line with the ruling of the national industrial Court of Nigeria

Issuance of circular for thepayment of Specialist Allowance to deserving Officers 

Issuance of circulars to Boards of Hospital to begin the process of Promotion of eligible Officers to CONHESS 15

Withdrawal of Circular on Deputy CMAC to be reviewed by the Honorable Minister of health 

Collective Bargaining Committee to review, the 2009 Collective Agreement to be set up by the Federal Ministry of Health with the Federal Ministry of Labor and the NSIWC as observers

The Honorable of Ministry of Health to convey the feeling of unions on the assignment of the Yayale Ahmad Presidential Cornmiltee to Mr.President

4. On the propsed appointement of Surgeon General, it was agreed that Union should write to His Excellency Mr. President 

expressing their opinion on the matter

5. In view of the above understadings which were reached in good faith and commitment to industrial harmony, the meeting agreed that the ultmatum issed to government by JOHESU is hereby suspended.

Setting the Records Straight 

This publication is in response to the patently untrue allegation by JOHESU that the Federal Ministry of Health "has virtually not succeeded in implementing any of the issues in contention".

Status of'the Implementation ofthe Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 

(l.) Implementation of Skipping of CONHESS 10 

On the 15th of November, 2013, the FMOH in a memo conveyed to all Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and (Medical Directors) MDs for their compliance, the Circular Ref. No. HCSF/EPO/EIR/B.63 755/TI 19 dated 4th November, 2013 from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. The said circular dealt fully with this aspect of the judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria pending the outcome of the appeal filed by the Federal Ministry of Health . 

(ii.) Issuance of Circular on Consultants in line with the ruling ofthe National Industrial Court of Nigeria, and 

(iii.) Issuance of Circular for the payment of Specialist Allowance to deserving officers. 

These items in the MoU under reference have been dealt with by the FMOH Circular No. MHIPM/138/vOL.11 /78, dated 9th January, 2014. The affected officers are to be paid Specialist Allowance and the arrears accruing, as applicable, until the final outcome of the matterpending before the Court of Appeal. 

(iv.) Issuance of Circulars to Boards of Hospitals on Promotion of Eligible Officers to CONHESS 15 

The Ministry has written a circular on promotion from CONHESS 14-15 issued on 9th January 20 13 to all CMDs and MDs instructing them to promote eligible officers where vacancies are available in line 

with the various Schemes of Service and other extant rules and regulations. 

(v.) Withdrawal of Circular on Deputy Chairman,Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) 

This matter has been reviewed by the Honourable Minister of Health and a general guideline has been issued on the subject to all Federal Tertiary Hospitals for their compliance. 

(vl.) Collective Bargaining Committee to review the 2009 Collective Agreement to be set up by the Federal Ministry of Health with the Federal Ministry of Labour and National Salaries and Income and Wages Commission as observers. The Collective Bargaining Committee was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Health on Thursday, 16"' January. 2014. 

(vii.) The Honourable Minister of Health to convey to Mr. President the feelings of JOHESU on the assignment of the of the Yayale Ahmed Presidential Committee of Experts on Industrial Harmony in the Public Health Sector This has been done vide a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, on the 8th of January, 20 14 

(viii.) Proposed Appointment of Surgeon General It was agreed that JOHESU should write to His Excellency, Mr. President expressing their opinion on the matter. 

(ix.) Constitution ofthe Boards ofManagement of various tertiary health institutions 

This has been done in accordance with the extant laws governing such appointments. Agreement to suspend the Ultimatum to proceed on strike 

The last item on the MoU under reference stated inter alia: "In view of the aboveunderstandings which were reached in good faith and commitment to industrial harmony, the meeting agreed that the ultimatum issued to government by JOHESU is hereby suspended." 

All other equally important issues not in the MoU but raised by JOHESU, namely, increase in the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 years and the demand for the placement of Medical Laboratory Science Interns on CONHESS 8 Step 2 and Laboratory Scientists post-NYSC on CONHESS 9 are already being treated through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. 

The Federal Ministry of Health, having demonstrated great faith and commitment to the implementation of the MoU strongly appeals to JOHESU to do same. A warning strike is totally unnecessary and unwarranted. JOHESU should heed the appeal ofthe Minister of Health and the appeal of concerned and well meaning Nigerians not to embark on the needless strike, bearing in mind that human lives are involved. 

Signed: 

Permanent Secretary