The ongoing strike action by the Joint Health Sector Union is still in full effect in various health care settings across the Nation, though not all complied with the strike directive as there were and still are reports of threats from the various CMD's and Hospital managements, the no work no pay memo's and other factors.

 

A Nursingworld correspondent visited the premises of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital to find out what was happening there, he reported that the teaching hospital seemed like a ghost town devoid of occupants, the normal hustle and bustle for a health care center missing.

 

 

On the notice board of the hospital the memo "Coverage of duties during strike" below was pasted on the 4th December 2014 and signed by Dame Roseline Shirima (Director of Administration), it stated thus:

 

Management has observed with dismay your absence from duty during the period of strike which took off on Tuesday 25th November 2014. Recall that at the meeting held  with Heads of department/Uniths, it was unanimously agreed that skeetal services would be provided.

 

 

It also provided in the service that heads of departments should  not abandon their duties during the strike. You are therefore directed to commence coverage of duties of your department forthwith. In the same vien, contract staff and those on National Youth Service Corps  posting are not entitled to embark on strike.

 

All concerned are advised to resume duty immediately. Please comply in your own interest.

 

Walking round the hospital premises revealed that not only was the memo ignored, but the words "please comply in your own interest" felt and sounded like a threat to  the staff of the hospital reafirming their decision to comply with the strike action. Though a few patients were seen in some wards, when approched one and all pleaded for the end to the strike action saying they, the patients were going through a lot  of hardships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One patient had this to say:

"I know and understand that the Nurses and others are fighting for their rights, but we are the ones suffering, the politicians never visit these teaching hospitals to  be treated as they always travel abroad when ever they fall ill, so they are not interested in what we the masses are going through. Im begging for the strike to end,  we are suffering, not all of us can afford the cost of visiting private hospitals"