• Accuse minister of bias
IF urgent steps were not taken to address the 10-point demand of health workers in the country, they may from April 2, 2013, begin a nationwide strike.
The workers, under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), have accused the Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, of fuelling disharmony in the health sector by suppressing other health professionals through unfair labour practices.
JOHESU, at a press conference Monday in Lagos, demanded among other things, promotion of their members from Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS) 14 to 15; implementation of 2008 job evaluations report; review of retirement age as their counterparts in the universities; implementation of the Justice Abdullahi Bello Presidential Committee report on Harmony in the Health Sector submitted to the Federal Government since 2011; reconstitution and equitable representation of other health professional associations and unions in the Hospital Management Boards.
The JOHESU comprises other health workers besides medical doctors. They include: Medical and Health Workers' Union (MHWUN), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Nigerian Union of Pharmacists (NUP), Senior Staff Association of Universities' Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASUEAI), physiotherapists, medical scientists and professionals allied to medicine, otherwise known as Allied Health Professionals.
National Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Ayuba Wabba, said: "The JOHESU noted that whereas agreement was reached on May 10, 2012, for these issues to be implemented on or before July 31, 2012, it is regretted that none has been implemented up to this time.
"Despite a 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Ministry of Health leading to a three-day warning strike on February 21 to 23, 2013, JOIHESU resolved that a fresh 15-day ultimatum, after an emergency national meeting on February 27 and 28, 2013, starting from Monday March 18, 2013, be given to the Federal Ministry of Health to implement these agreements or face indefinite industrial action in all federal health institutions nationwide."
Wabba said four of the 10-point demand were referred by the Minister of Labour and Productivity to the National Industrial Court (NIC) for adjudication since September 2012.
The four demands are: skipping of CONHESS 10 salary grade; non-payment of specialist allowance; issues of consultancy status for allied health professionals; and call duty allowance re-negotiation.
The JOHESU chairman said: "It is, however, disheartening that since September 2012 when the case commenced at the NIC Abuja, the Federal Ministry of Health has been causing unnecessary delays through unjustifiable and incessant adjournments purposely to dampen the morale of our members nationwide.
"It was equally observed that chief medical directors of teaching hospitals and medical directors of other federal hospitals are conducting promotion exercises and releasing their results without skipping CONHESS 10, and in some places, denying our members movement to the next grade level, thereby flagrantly ignoring maintenance of the status quo ante on the cases before court."
Wabba, however, said that they are in talks with a team from the Ministry of Labour and Productivity which has asked the union for six weeks to enable the Federal Government meet their demands.
Wabba added: "JOHESU once again reiterates its call on President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to remove Chukwu as Minister of Health because he has shown that he is only a minister for medical and dental practitioners and not minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through his actions and inactions which are sectional, discriminatory and marginalising to non-medical practitioners, health professionals and workers."
The Guardian