Govt assures health workers on non-victimisation

• JOHESU refutes NMA claims on assault on duty

THE Minister of State for Health, Dr.Khaliru Alhassan, has assured that no member of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), who embarked on the strike action that  started in November 2014, will be victimized.

   The Minister, who announced the end of the strike action by the workers Monday night, however urged them to henceforth, work amicably as a team with other health workers. While stressing the importance of dialogue as a tool for resolving differences, the Minister thanked all those who had helped to bring an end to the strike action.

   Also, health workers said they suspended their long strike out of respect for the office of the President.

   They said the strike was suspended following a meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan with leaders of the union. At the briefing held together with Minister of State and Supervising Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, leaders of the group said the President had agreed to their demands.

   Health workers embarked on strike in October last year to compel government to implement judgment delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in their favour. The judgment was on welfare-related issues for the workers.

   Speaking at the briefing, Chairperson of JOHESU, Ayuba Wabba, said the union leaders met after their meeting with the President and resolved to call off the strike.

   His words: “Yesterday, (Sunday) precisely, by 2pm, Mr President personally intervened and called a meeting of the Joint Health Sector Unions where all the issues were reviewed and commitment were made firmly by him to the effect that he, being the last authority, we have no doubt that those commitments will be met.

   “And, therefore, he also made a very passionate plea that having intervened at that level, he pleaded with the Joint Health Sector Unions to suspend the action and allow him a period to consider all the issues and dispense with them.

   “As a group that is very responsible, we had a meeting this morning to review the issues and the pleas of Mr President and we have come to the conclusion that having reaching that level, and having shown a lot of commitment and the demonstration of his goodwill, we then have no other option than to suspend the strike action and direct our members to resume work immediately.

   “He also gave commitment that as a result of this action, no member of the Joint Health Sector Unions would be victimized in any form arising from this legitimate action.”

   Responding, Alhassan urged them to ensure they return to work and maintain harmonious working relationship with other employees in their places of work. He also promised that none of them would be victimized by the government for participating in the strike.

     In a related development, the Joint health Sector Union has berated the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over its allegations that JOHESU members harassed doctors who were on duty during the strike.

   Chairman of JOHESU, FCT Chapter, Maduka Maduabuchi told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that health workers did not assault any doctors.

   He said: “For instance, there was no need for JOHESU members to break down entrances since Gwarinpa General Hospital entrances were accessible to the public. As a union, JOHESU was on a legitimate strike action. In line with organized labour practise, a JOHESU team comprising members of both state and Chapter council officials were on routine monitoring rounds to hospitals in FCTA on Wednesday, January 21, 2015. The team visited the Gwarinpa General Hospital at about 12non. As the team was making its way to the medical laboratory unit, the head of the laboratory in Gwarinpa General Hospital on sighting the monitoring team hurriedly rushed to shut the door to the laboratory. 

   “It was in this forceful process that the glass panel of the door was broken. It is pertinent to note that the team had earlier made similar visits to the Asokoro District Hospital without any untoward incident. Why would the case be different at Gwarinpa Hospital?”

   He demanded an apology from the doctors and urged them to desist from comments which he described as inflammatory.