#Moodyshegsblog update: Why Nigerian health workers called off strike

Health workers in federal teaching
hospitals as well as federal medical
centres across Nigeria called off their one
week strike only after the government
gave in to all their demands, PREMIUM
TIMES has learnt.
The workers, under the auspices of Joint
Health Staff Union, JOHESU, had downed
their tools on August 21 following the
federal government’s failure to accept
their demands. They called off the strike
after a 12-hour meeting with the federal
government delegation on Tuesday.
In attendance at the meeting were
Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu; the
Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu;
and the Head of the Civil Service of the
Federation, Bukar Aji; alongside
representatives of the Nigeria Labour
Congress, the Trade Union Congress and
JOHESU.
The aggrieved workers include
physiotherapists, medical laboratory
scientists, radiographers, nurses, dental
technologists, occupational therapists,
health information officers, dental
therapists, dieticians and other related
professionals in the health sector except
medical doctors.
Their grievances included the perceived
wrongful constitution of a board of
management of teaching hospitals;
unfavourable retirement age;
implementation of 2008 job evaluation
report; promotion from CONHESS 14 to
15, as well as a perceived poorly
constituted committee to see to harmony
in the health sector.
Another complaint was the recently-
announced Chairmanship of the Nursing
and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN,
which saw a medical doctor appointed to
head the council.
When their demands were not met,
JOHESU on July 22 issued a 21-day
ultimatum to the Federal Government to
implement a recent favourable ruling of
the National Industrial Court on the
controversial issues. The union, which
comprises several other trade unions in
the health sector, proceeded on the
indefinite strike.
According to the Memorandum of
Understanding signed by all parties
involved in the Tuesday’s meeting and
made available to PREMIUM TIMES, it
was agreed that the government should
correct the observed errors on the
appointment of board members for
federal teaching hospitals.
The boards of federal teaching hospitals
had been constituted but not in
compliance with the enabling statutes
with respect to sections 2(1)(c) and 2(1)
(f) of the University Teaching Hospitals
Act of 2004.
Also, the government agreed that the
appointment of a medical practitioner as
Chairman of NMCN was done in error and
would be rectified in good time. To
achieve this, the ministers of labour and
health, as well as the head of civil service
would meet with President Goodluck
Jonathan within 21 days. The negotiating
parties are to reconvene on September 2
for further briefing on the outcome of the
meeting with the president.
“I think as Minister of Health, that going
by precedence, going by tradition and
going by fairness and equity, since we
have eligible nurses who can indeed be
Chairperson or
Chairman of Nursing and Midwifery
Council, I think it should be a
nurse.
“Those are some of the errors that
sometimes can happen along the line.
Surely, I believe, we gave our
commitment yesterday that we will make
amend as necessary” the Minister of
Health stated.
With regards to the retirement age, it was
agreed that the head of civil service of the
federation should be allowed time to
address the issue administratively and
update the meeting on Monday September
2nd, 2013.
On the issue of promotion from CONHESS
14 to 15, though approval has been
conveyed to some hospitals like the
University College Hospital, Ibadan, for
the promotion of some officers such as
Medical Laboratory Scientists and Social
Medical Works as director on CONHESS
15, this is yet to be fully implemented in
many Tertiary Medical Institutions.
Consequently, it was agreed by all parties
present at the meeting that the Federal
Ministry of Health should direct the
boards of various hospitals to carry out
the contents of the circular accordingly.
Also, the letters of promotion of the
officers at UCH would be released on or
before September 4.
The federal government also agreed to
implement the recent verdict by the
National Industrial Court of Nigeria.