Resolving Health Workers’ Strike

True to their threat to down tools, health
workers across the country last Wednes
day embarked on a nation-wide strike to press home their demands for better working conditions, which they say, the Federal Government has for the umpteenth time failed to consider.
The strike is being embarked upon by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), a conglomerate of several health care associations in the health sector. The National President of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAP), Felix Faniran, who is also the Vice President of JOHESU, had before the commencement of the strike, given reasons for JOHESU’s move.
He said, “All other issues, particularly, that our salary which was supposed to be adjusted in January this year in line with our colleagues – the NMA members, who have had their own adjusted and whose circulars have not only been issued, but they are already enjoying a new salary package, our circular is yet to be released”.
Faniran said: “We are in the same sector, but they are enjoying new salary while we have not gotten the circular yet, let alone implementing it”. Sadly, this selective treatment or rivalry among the health workers have caused too many avoidable deaths in Nigeria.
While some of the issues being demanded by the health workers are not of urgent nature and could have suffered no loss if given some time, the inability of the Federal Government to address the matter until now leaves much to be desired.
Only recently the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) embarked on a strike that sent many Nigerians to their early graves. Apparently, this will happen again if government does not act fast in the interest of the people.
It is on this note that The Tide views the on-going strike by the country’s health workers as most unfortunate and avoidable. Indeed, this is one strike that would compromise current health challenges world-wide and result in the death of another batch of innocent Nigerians.
Infact, Nigerians have always hoped that strikes would not be the first option in labour disputes, but the culture of going into agreement with labour and reneging until there was a strike is not acceptable. Unfortunately, this appears to work for labour always.
This is why The Tide wonders why government would choose to play with the health and safety of the people after due notices and even warning strike by the union. The issues that now expose the people to this danger is not new nor too difficult to resolve. But the political will to implement of the agreement has remained a challenge.
The health workers may have run out of their patriotic zeal when the relevant authorities failed to as little as respond to them, but knowing how their legitimate demand can affect the country, including themselves, they ought to have looked for other means of achieving the same goal.
We believe that it will not cost government too much to address the selective wage regime in the sector, implement approved conditions of service and obey court judgements that uphold professional liberties as being demanded by the health workers.
Perhaps, we should restate the fact that the world is going through a season of health challenges that should concern everyone, organizations and governments. As the world still battles with closing the door against Ebola Virus Diseases, avian flu has re-emerged in some other parts of the world.
Also, worthy of consideration is the spate of violence and terrorism in parts of Nigeria. As a matter of fact, even before recent politically motivated violence, the number of issues that fellow Nigerians have preferred to address with guns are too many to ignore. People will need health support.
Sadly, the yuletide that is supposed to bring joy to all mankind has become the reason for increased criminality, armed robbery and extreme actions that also threaten personal safety. But if the health institutions are shut would anyone be doing the Nigerian people any good?
We urge the Federal Government to put an end to this lingering and embarrassing health sector crisis once and for all.