Activities Peak At UPTH …As JOHESU Calls Off Strike

Activities at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital came alive Monday, as workers under the umbrella of Joint Health Staff Union (JOHESU) called off their 40 days old strike.
Since mid April when the staffers downed tools, services at the UPTH had been skeletal, until recently when management of the Federal Medical facility sought for support services from the para-medics.
Most of the major departments were shut down as nurses, medical laboratory scientists and pharamacists joined the strike.
Chairman of JOHESU at UPTH, Comrade Kristhein Awoibi in a chat with newsmen on Monday said they were glad to be back after the over 40 days old strike.
Comrade Awoibi told newsmen that the strike was not a deliberate attempt to ground the hospital, but to address most of the faulty administrative policies and programmes of the Federal Government, all over the nation.
“We are ensuring that everything is in perfect order. We don’t want to run above our shadow. It was the Federal Government that went to court, but the important thing is that we have made our point”.
He stated that the faulty administrative imbalance, that seeks to sideline non-medical doctors had caused aggrieve by the health workers, who felt they are not being carried along in the scheme of things.
Comrade Awoibi remarked that before the present management scheme came on board, health workers were fully incharge of administrative running of the hospitals, and things were going well.
The JOHESU Chairman was of the view that it was wrong to use a medical doctor to head administrative portions, especially those not technically inclined.
The situation he further explained led to imbalance, and politics that has marred healthcare delivery across board.
Awoibi maintained that once the issue fo revamping the health facilities, payment of arrears, internship, appointment of Chief Medical Directors (GMDs) and headship of departments are addressed, then the health care sector will improve.