HEALTH workers under the aegis of the Joint Health Workers’ Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHPA) will on Monday, June 5, 2023, hold their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to decide on its ongoing strike.
The Nation learnt that the meeting, which will be attended by members of the NEC, will afford the unions the opportunity to consider what the government is offering, with the aim of either calling off the strike or continuing it with further negotiations.
The representatives of the unions had met with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Federal Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders on Thursday to discuss and agree on issues relating to their demands.
Recall that on May 25, 2023, members of the JOHESU and AHPA embarked on an indefinite strike following the failure of the government to address their demands.
In a chat with The Nation, the National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, said: “Our National Executive Council will meet on Monday. We will discuss what the Federal Government has brought to the negotiation table. Based on this, our NEC will reach a decision on the next line of action for our members.
“The meeting is important because we will decide if we will continue the strike or call it off.”
When The Nation asked for details of the proposal by the government, Ogbonna said he would make it known to the press in due time.
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The JOHESU and AHPA, which comprise healthcare workers, excluding medical doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives, complained about the unfair treatment and discrimination of its members by the Federal Ministry of Health, with regards to their welfare, including wages and benefit packages, among others.
Their demands include the immediate approval and implementation of the Technical Committee report on Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment by the Federal Government; payment and inculcation of peculiar allowances to health workers under the aegis of JOHESU/AHPA; immediate payment of the omission and Shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in the Federal Health Institutions and recognition of health workers in non-core hospital facilities in the payment of new hazard allowance.
Others are: the immediate and unconditional implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant cadre, unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and April and May, 2018 salaries of members at NOFIC, Azare; and the speedy implementation of the increase in retirement age from 60 to 65 years, and 70 years for Consultants in the health professions. The strike by the health workers across the country has disrupted the provision of healthcare services in hospitals, as doctors, nurses are getting overwhelmed.