Ebola: Union Threatens Strike Over Absence Of Protective Gear

The Joint Health Workers
Sector Union (JOHWSU), University of Port Harcourt Teaching  Hospital, Choba, has threatened to embark on strike action over the non-provision of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPEs) to its members by the hospital’s management over the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Speaking to The Tide in Choba last Wednesday, the union’s Chairman, Comrade  Awobi Christian Awobi said the Union has appealed to the hospital’s management for the provision of PPEs to its members who are having direct primary contact with patients, but the Teaching hospital management has refused to heed to the union’s demand.
Awobi explained that the leadership of the Union in the Teaching hospital has no alternative but to embark on strike action for the hospital’s management failure to favourably response to the union’s demand.
He said the provision of the necessary PPEs to the Union members will protect them from contaminating the contagious deadly virus as a group of primary workers to patients.
The Union boss said so far the Teaching Hospital has not recorded any Ebola case infection contamination from report received within the hospital, stressing that it was  better the management put precautionary measures in place in the Teaching Hospital.
Awobi said the union will continue to do its best to protect the workers through awareness and sensitisation campaign on the deadly EVD contamination.
He enjoined the hospital management to consider the risk involved by the workers having primary contact with patients without the necessary PPEs.
However, The Tide effort to speak with the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof Aaron Ajunle proved abortive as The Tide was told by a lady who identified herself as CMD’s secretary that he was in a meeting with the hospital’s Management Team.
Meanwhile, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has urged medical personnel and the public not to stigmatise those infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
In a statement signed by the Union National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said that despite the high-risk medical personnel faced while treating EVD victims, those infected with the deadly disease deserved the best  of care from government and the public.
Ayuba said stigmatisation is not an option, rather, protection, action and solidarity are the way forward.
The Union boss praised medical personnel and volunteers working in Ebola treatment centres, also urged government to ensure that health workers involved in treating EVD patients were protected and given the right incentives to carry out their duties.
He said that all health workers are at risk and should be safe guarded against infection, stressing that there are some cadres that are even more at risk due to the higher possibility of their coming in contact with patients.
The labour leader appealed for the provision of gloves, face masks, and other protective equipment for the health workers.

Philip Okparaji