Workers’ Strike Paralyses UPTH

The strike action
embarked upon by workers in the health sector under the auspices of the Joint Health Workers Sector Unions (JOHESU) nationwide has started taking a toll on the provision of medical services at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Choba, near Port Harcourt.
The Tide correspondent reports that pregnant patients in the maternity ward were hard hit by the strike action as most of them  had left the ward due to lack of medical attention as professional medical personnel stayed away from work.
It was revealed by few of the pregnant patients seen within the premises of the hospital that they could not relocate to a private clinic due to lack of finance by their families.
Mrs Duru Nwankwo, a pregnant patient who was writhing in pains in the Teaching Hospital’s maternity ward told The Tide that her family had no money to take her to a private clinic outside the Teaching Hospital.
She said “ I am still here in pains because my husband is unemployed and cannot afford money to take me out of here to a private clinic in Port Harcourt.
She said, she was advised to stay in the Teaching Hospital because the strike action would not last long.
Nwankwo said only doctors came to check her and few others still in the wards, they are still on admission in the hospital without getting attention from other staff.
When our reporter visited the emergency ward, few patients were seen and said they were still on the hospital beds because they were brought to the teaching hospital before the strike action commenced.
They said that their conditions had improved and were advised by doctors to remain in the hospital for further treatment.
However, most patients appealed to the workers to return to work to save dying patients.
The warning strike action entered its second day yesterday.
When our correspondent visited the office of the Chief Medical Director (CMD), a source who pleaded anonymity said the hospital management had attended to nearly all the workers’ demands.
The source urged the workers to show maturity and consideration and return to work.
The joint unions chairman could not be reached for comments.

Philip Okparaji