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Tag: JOHESU

  • JOHESU strike paralyses activities at LASUTH

    Support activities at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital ( LASUTH ), Ikeja, were on Thursday grounded as the members of the Joint Health Sector Union ( JOHESU ) joined the strike embarked on by their federal institution counterparts.

    The national body of JOHESU on Wednesday ordered its counterparts in the states and local governments to join the ongoing health workers strike.

    The National Chairman of JOHESU, Josiah Biobelemoye, at a news conference in Abuja said that the decision to engage the state chapters was made after series of consultations.

    Biobelemoye, however, said that the state counterparts would now join the three week old strike.

    He said that various negotiations with the Federal Government had not yielded any positive result.

    A visit by our reporter to one of the busiest hospitals in Lagos, LASUTH revealed total compliance as the support staff of the institution practically stayed away from work.

    A visit to the departments such as Haematology, Peadiatrics and the administrative complexes shows that the support staff totally complied with the order.

    The administrative office of the Heamatology department where the patients’ records are kept was under lock and other offices and some of the laboratories.

    However, the Chairman, ad hoc Committee on Health, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Olusegun Olulade, who visited the hospital declined to comment on the industrial dispute.

    Read Also: ‘JOHESU demand for salary parity neither practicable, nor acceptable’

     On the strike, the Director of Clinical Services, LASUTH, Dr Adeolu Adedokun, said that the industrial dispute was not between the hospital and the striking workers but a directive from their national body.

    “We don’t have any problems with our staff here, we are fine with them. As regards the strike, they may have no option than to obey the national directive of their association.

    “The administration of Gov. Ambode is fully committed to their welfare and doing all within its powers,’’ he told our reporter.

    The Secretary, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) of the hospital, Dr Olusegun Alli, said that the body of doctors had resolved to mitigate the effect of the strike by attending to the patients.

    “We have decided to try and mitigate the effects of the strike by our members. We have had emergency meeting and concluded that all our members should be up and doing.

    “The doctors are attending to the patients at various wards in Paediatrics, Laboratories, Emergency and others.

    “We don’t want to leave any gap,’’ Alli said.

  • JOHESU directs members at states, councils to join strike

    THE Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has directed its members in the states and local government areas to join the ongoing strike.

    It followed the inability of the Federal Government to meet the union’s demands, according to JOHESU National Chairman Josiah Joy Biobelemoye.

    Health workers at Federal health institutions have been on strike in the last 22 days.

    Biobelemoye,  who addressed reporters yesterday, said the government has not shown enough commitment.

    “Since the government has not shown enough commitment to the path of honour and meet our demands, especially, the core demand for the upward adjustment of CONHESS Salary Structure as agreed in the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement signed on September 30, 2017 with JOHESU, we are left with no other option than to direct members in states and local governments to commence and join the strike action nationwide from midnight of today, Wednesday, May 9, 2018.”

    He, however, said the union has temporarily put on hold other activities like street protest, rallies and joint zonal picketing.

    He, therefore, appealed to the  “Nigerians to bear with JOHESU for the withdrawal of our services, which can be attributed to the insincerity of government, particularly, the Federal Ministry of Health and its leadership, who behaves like a Federal Ministry of Doctors.

  • Fed Govt rejects JOHESU’s demand for pay parity with doctors

    THE Federal Government has rejected the request of Joint Health Sector Union’s (JOHESU) members to enjoy the same salary structure with the medical doctors.

    Besides, the government maintained that there was never any existing agreement with the union prior to the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, therefore, appealed to JOHESU to call off the strike and allow the High Level Body constituted by government to conclude its assignment as contained in the 2017 agreement.

    In a statement signed by Assistant Director of Information, Ministry of Health Mr. Olajide Oshundun, the minister assured the union that the administration would not renege on any agreement entered into with any labour organisation, including JOHESU.

    “What JOHESU is asking for is parity with medical doctors, which is not practicable nor acceptable to the Federal Government.

    “A cursory look at the salary tables in the health sector before and after independence till date have always reflected relativity.  The 2014 salary adjustment for medical doctors was to correct the anomaly of 2009 and restore relativity,” the minister stated.

    On the issue of existing agreement, the statement said: “The Minister of Health wishes to reiterate that there was no agreement between the Federal Government and JOHESU prior to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “That what JOHESU brandish as 2014 agreement were minutes of meetings they had with the organs of Federal Government.

    “That in September 2017, JOHESU presented 15-point demands and the Federal Government has implemented 14 while the last demand is still being attended to by the High Level Body set up by the government to look into its implementation.

    “Indeed, what the September 2017 agreement stated under the upward adjustment of CONHESS salary scale and as published by JOHESU is that: ‘The meeting noted that two different figures had been submitted to the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on separate occasions. It was observed that the figures are no longer realistic due to lapse of time. The NSIWC should, therefore, do a fresh submission based on new data consistent with the present reality.

    “The FMOH is expected to make available necessary and required data to NSIWC to enable fresh computation. The newly computed figures will be forwarded by National Salaries and Wages Commission to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission for processing to the high level body of the government and thereafter to Federal Ministry of Health within five weeks.’ This has been done.”

    The minister assured that the Buhari administration, as a responsible government, would do everything within its power to bring the ongoing strike action to an end as quickly as possible.

    He added that “the Federal Government has put machinery in place to ensure that the strike is called off by meeting with JOHESU officials on several occasions, the last being on Wednesday April 25, 2018, at the office of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja”

    Adewole appealed to the public “to bear with the Federal Government as all hands are on the table to bring the ongoing strike to an end as quickly as possible”.

  • Fed Govt had no agreement with JOHESU, says minister

    MINISTER of Health Isaac Adewole has clarified that the Federal Government had no agreement with the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to warrant the present strike.

    According to Adewole, the government had already constituted a high level body to look into aspects of their demands, including the financial implications and also to plan for the management of consequences of addressing those demands.

    He briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “But let me also put it on record that when we came on board, JOHESU approached us that they have an agreement with government. But we discovered that there was really no agreement with government.

    “What they were able to provide were minutes of meetings held previously and we told them that no responsible government will implement minutes of previous meetings and of the 15-point demands. We have met 14 of them over the one and half years. The only one left is currently meeting on.”

    According to him, the high level body, which met last week Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and on Tuesday, is scheduled to meet on yesterday night.

    “So, we are really at work with respect to this. We have done quite a lot of computation. We have met with Finance, we have met with Budget and National Planning. We are looking into all issues relating to this strike,” he added.

  • JOHESU had no agreement with FG – Adewole

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Wednesday disclosed that the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) had no agreement with the Federal Government to warrant the current strike action.

    According to him, the federal government had already constituted a high level body to look into all aspects of JOHESU demand including the financial implications.

    He briefed State House correspondents at the end of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “But let me also put it on record that when we came on board, JOHESU approached us that they have an agreement with government but we discovered that there was really no agreement with government.

    “What they were able to provide were minutes of meetings held previously and we told them that no responsible government will implement minutes of previous meetings and of the 15 points demands, we have met 14 of them over the one and half years.”

    According to him, the high level body, which met last week, is expected to meet again on Wednesday night.

     

  • FG urges JOHESU to call off strike

    The Federal Government on Tuesday appealed to striking Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) members to resume work as negotiation was ongoing.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the appeal at the induction of foreign trained medical laboratory scientists on in Abuja by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSC).

    Ehanire, represented by Dr Shuaibu Belgare, Senior Technical Assistant to the minister, deplored the strike which had disrupted normal services in federal public hospitals.

    He further decried the professional disharmony in the health sector, noting that nobody is considering the plight of patients.

    The minister said all major stakeholders in the healthcare sector should be concerned with the ethics of their professions.

    “We are all looking for what we can get; nobody is thinking about the patients, which is the primary purpose of being in the workforce.

    “As I speak, JOHESU is on strike; hospitals are not providing services.

    “Please go back to work to salvage the situation while negotiation is going on; government will do everything possible to meet your demands,” he said.
    While congratulating the inductees for their success, Ehanire described laboratory scientists as extremely important in healthcare delivery.

    According to him, without the laboratory scientists patients would end up being treated wrongly at every point in time.

    He enjoined them to consider themselves as professionals and as well accord the profession due respect.

    Ehanire identified part of the qualification that must be possess by the scientists as attaching great value to services they rendered, having compassion for patients been the primary purpose of service, among others.

    He also urged them to derive pleasure in taking up responsibilities that were rejected by their fellows to ensure professional excellence.

    The minister identified precision as key in the profession to ensure quality healthcare delivery.

    Ehanire intimated them of government policies on quality healthcare delivery bothering on primary health care.

    According to him, the initiative is aimed at bringing healthcare to the doorsteps of the masses.

    Dr Bassey Enya Bassey, the President, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), urged the inductees not to compromise integrity in the course of practice.

    Bassey assured them of the association’s support for their well-being to ensure professional excellence.

    Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Ahmad Bakore, commended the council for the inductions and called for the support of their superiors to achieve the desired success in their practices.

    He said: “We can do nothing without our superiors supporting us or beckoning on us when we are going astray.”
    Bakore pledged to uphold the ethics of the profession.

    NAN

     

  • JOHESU Strike: Patients demand care, love

    Patients and their relations in Gusau and Benin on Friday called for care and love as the JOHESU nationwide strike entered its third day.

    Reports from   and Edo States confirmed that normal healthcare services have been disrupted by the strike.

    While some patients were seen being attended to by some doctors, relatives of others were seen evacuating their sick ones from the hospitals for alternative medicine.

    They all appealed to government to address the demands of the striking healthcare workers in order to strengthen the health sector.

    They also called on the aggrieved workers to consider their plight and save lives.
    In Gusau, the management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) has made arrangement for skeletal services to cushion the effect of the strike on patients.

    However, NAN observed that the medical and surgical wards of the hospital were empty as all patients were discharged due inadequate manpower to manage them.

    The accidents and emergency ward, paediatric unit and labour room were the busiest areas in the hospital.

    Other departments in the hospital like Pharmacy, Laboratory and Medical Records were all managed by the heads of the departments.

    A medical doctor, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter that humanity was considered very important in medical service.

    “In this regard, attention is given to emergency cases in order to avoid loss of lives during the industrial action,’’ the source said.

    A patient’s relative, Malama Hauwau Suleiman, said her child was managed well, adding “as you can see there are about five doctors in the ward right now.

    “We are not facing any problem even though there is strike in the hospital’’.

    Report also confirmed that services were also being offered at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) clinic of the hospital where patients were seen waiting to see doctors.

    Similarly, NAN also reports that there was no much increased in patients trooping to private hospitals as other state healthcare facilities in the state remained opened.

    A report from Benin said some pregnant women had accused JOHESU members of insensitivity to their plight.

    The aggrieved women told NAN that the industrial action took them unawares.

    They claimed that the industrial action was targeted at them as some of them were getting close to their Expected Date of Delivery (EDD).

    Mrs Agnes Osamudiame told our reporter that she was in the last phase of her third trimester, and was in the hospital for her weekly antenatal check, but did not see any medical staff to attend to her for hours.

    She, however, pleaded with the government to urgently attend to the demands of the striking health workers, saying that their services were indispensable.

    Mrs Ifueko Omoruyi, another pregnant woman, said they should be taken into consideration before any strike by those in the health sector, suggesting that alternative arrangement of accessing medical services should be provided for them.

    “Most of us are due in few days, so what do we do now? The doctors should be able to join voices with other health workers so that government can resolve the issue and save us this pain,” Omoruyi said.

    Also, a man who simply gave his name as Mr Nwogheren, claimed that his pregnant wife died as a result of the strike.

    The management of the hospital led by the Chief Medical Director, Dr Darlington Obaseki, is yet to react to the development.

    NAN

  • Fed Govt to JOHESU: return to work

    THE Federal Government said last night that the indefinite strike embarked upon by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) was wrong.

    It threatened to invoke the relevant labour laws in dealing with the striking workers, if they fail to return to their duty posts.

    In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press, Samuel Olowokore, said the government was surprised that the workers embarked on the strike despite the Federal Government keeping faith with the terms of agreements signed with the unions.

    Appealing to the workers to consider the plight of sick Nigerians and return to work, the statement said the government would not fold its hands and watch innocent Nigerians subjected to untold hardship.

    It said the decision of the workers to embark on strike was surprising.

    It said: “At a period the Federal Government is faithfully managing lean resources to ensure industrial harmony in all sectors, a measure of patriotism is expected of all labour unions to enable government have an equable social and very good labour milieu in which workers could be assured of security of employment.

    “It is on record that government has met almost all the demands of these unions on issues such as the payment of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls among others as per the agreement reached on September 30, 2017.”

    “The Federal Government, therefore, wishes to appeal to JOHESU to reconsider its position in view of the immeasurable consequences of its action on sick patients in hospitals across the nation.”

    “While the Federal Government restates its commitment to the implementation of the Terms of Settlement reached with JOHESU, it shall not however fail in its sacred responsibility of protecting the lives of the numerous patients in all public health institutions, where this group of health workers have unjustifiably withdrawn their services.

    “If this group of health workers persist on continuing this strike, government will be forced to invoke the provisions of the relevant labour laws, especially Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap.T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles concerning employers rights over strikes in essential services sector,” the statement concluded.

  • FG threatens striking health workers, says return to work now

    The Federal Government said last night that the indefinite strike action embarked upon by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions was unjustified, threatening to invoke the relevant labour laws in dealing with the striking workers if they fail to return to their duty post.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowokore said the government was surprised that the workers embarked strike despite the government keeping faith with the terms of agreement signed between the unions and the government.

    While appealing to the workers to consider the plight of sick Nigerians and return to work, the statement said the government would not fold its hands and watch innocent Nigerians subjected to untold hardship.

    It said that the decision of the health workers to embark on strike was surprising saying “it is surprised that many of the Health Workers Unions operating under the joint group, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) embarked on another round of nationwide strike despite government’s demonstrable commitment to the implementation of the agreement reached with it since their last strike of 20thSeptember 2017.

    ‘At a period the Federal Government is faithfully managing lean resources to ensure industrial harmony in all sectors, a measure of patriotism is expected of all labour unions to enable government have an equable social and very good labour milieu in which workers could be assured of security of employment.

    “It is on record that government has met almost all the demands of these unions on issues such as the payment of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls among others as per the agreement reached on September 30th2017.”

    “The Federal Government therefore wishes to appeal to JOHESU to reconsider its position in view of the immeasurable consequences of its action on sick patients in hospitals across the nation.”

    “While the Federal Government restates its commitment to the implementation of the Terms of Settlement reached with JOHESU, it shall not however fail in its sacred responsibility of protecting the lives of the numerous patients in all public health institutions where this group of health workers have unjustifiably withdrawn their services.

    “If this group of health workers persist on continuing this strike, Government will be forced to invoke the provisions of the relevant labour laws, especially Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap.T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles concerning employers rights over strikes in essential services sector,” the statement concluded.

    Read Also: JOHESU Strike: Health workers shut down UCH

  • Strike: NMA, JOHESU trade words over legality

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Wednesday has described the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) as an illegal body.

    The President of NMA, Prof. Mike Ogirima, also advised that no one should entertain or deal with JOHESU.

    Ogirima was apparently reacting to the indefinite nationwide strike commenced on April 18, by members of JOHESU.

    “JOHESU is an illegal body that should not be accorded any recognition by Nigerians,’’ he said.

    He also said that JOHESU’s industrial action was unnecessary as its demands were driven by envy.

    But Dr Chris Mbata, Rivers Chairman of the union, on Wednesday in Port Harcourt dismissed the NMA statement describing JOHESU as illegal.

    Mbata said the strike was purely to make government respect the agreement it entered into with the union on Sept. 30, 2017.

    According to him, the NMA is unfit to declare a recognised union such as JOHESU an illegal entity.

    “The NMA is not a trade union in the first place; it does not know that JOHESU is a union of all registered health sector trade unions,’’ he said.

    The chairman said the strike was not in any way targeted at any other body of service providers within the health care system.

    “The strike is simply a way of demanding a better welfare package for our members, it is not in any way targeted at anybody or group.

    “We are not in any form of competition, we are all strategic service providers in the system, we are all important,’’ Mbata said.

    He said other groups of health service providers were envious of JOHESU because of its strength and strategic position within the system.

    “About 80 per cent of workers in hospitals in this country are JOHESU members, they are aware of our position in the health sector.

    “Activities come to a halt whenever JOHESU is on strike, we occupy strategic position within the system,’’ he said.
    Meanwhile, the JOHESU strike has been reported to be effective as many branches joined the nationwide indefinite action.

    Mr Obisesan Oluwatuyi, the General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Oluwatuyi said that they would not call off the strike until government met their demands.

    The health workers of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) , Ile-Ife, Osun, under the aegis of JOHESU, has joined the strike.

    Mr Obinna Ogbonna, National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, announced this during the congress of the union at the hospital complex in Ile-Ife on Wednesday.

    Ogbonna said the union decided to join the strike due to alleged failure of Federal Government to honour its agreement with the body.

    He said that federal government had on Sept. 30, 2017, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JOHESU on its demands, which was supposed to be implemented within five weeks.

    “It will be recalled that JOHESU suspended its last nationwide strike action on Sept. 30, 2017, after the signing of the MoU.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, our demands are upward adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), employment of additional health workers.

    “Also, implementation of court judgment and upward review of retirement age from 60 to 65, among others.

    “However, it is disheartening to note that after six months of the suspension our last strike and still counting, the federal government has not done anything tangible over the issues,’’ he said.

    He said that the 30 days working ultimatum given to the federal government had expired.
    Similarly, the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi , Nasarawa State, has also joined the nationwide indefinite strike.

    Mr Achimugu Isaiah, the JOHESU branch Chairman at the centre, disclosed this on Wednesday while declaring the strike during the union meeting in Keffi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all healthcare workers complied with the strike, except medical doctors providing skeletal services at the centre.

    Achimugu said the strike was in the interest of the public especially the poor.

    The chairman called on the federal government to meet up with the demands of the union in order to improve on the health status of Nigerians.

    However, Dr Luka Samuel, the Acting Medical Director of the centre, appealed to JOHESU members to return to work in the interest of the health sector.

    NAN