3 weeks ago
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The Federal Government has met with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals over its lingering demands resulting in the ongoing seven-day warning strike.
The National Chairman of JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday.
“We met with the Ministry of Labour and Employment yesterday (Tuesday), and we are meeting with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare later today (Wednesday).
“When we met with the Ministry of Labour yesterday, there were representatives from the Ministry of Health and the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission and other stakeholders. There was a positive one, but the strike will continue until Friday.
“Also, we will be meeting with the Ministry of Health today (Wednesday). After the meeting at the ministry, then we will have our JOHESU Expanded National Executive Council meeting to decide the way forward. But then, the strike continues till Friday. So far, with the meeting we had on Tuesday, there was hope regarding our demands.”
JOHESU began its seven-day warning strike at midnight of Friday, October 25, 2024, to press home its demands.
The demands listed by the unions included the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure as was done with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since January 2, 2014, the implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists in federal health institutions, the upward review in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for consultants, and the payment of JOHESU members in professional regulatory councils.
Others were the payment of arrears of CONHESS review, the tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, the immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, the immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of National Health Facility Regulatory Agency, and the withdrawal of the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures.
The ongoing strike has, however, seen varying levels of compliance across facilities in Abuja.
Observations from the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, and the National Hospital revealed significant participation among certain health professionals, impacting healthcare services in these institutions.
At the Federal Medical Centre, notable compliance was observed among pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and health record officers.
Similar trends were noted at the National Hospital, where a portion of healthcare workers also adhered to the strike. Some departments continued to operate with reduced staff.
