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The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), claims that it had entered into agreements with the Federal government has been described as deceitful and outright falsehood.
Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole made the revelations Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents on government efforts to halt the current strike embarked upon by the Union.
Adewole, who recalled series of meetings held with the top hierarchy of the health union, said what the Union referred to as agreements ” were just mere minutes of meetings held with previous administration”
The Minister who disclosed that government was doing everything to end the ongoing strike, said ” government has met 14 out of the 15 demands” put forward by the Union.
According to the Health Minister” But let me also put it on record that when we came on board, JOHESU approached us that they have an agreement with government but we discovered that they was really no agreement with government.
“What they were able to provide were minutes of meetings held previously and we told them that no responsible government will implement minutes of previous meetings and of the fifteen points demands, we have met 14 of them over the one and half years. The only one left, we are currently meeting on.
Adewole disclosed that government has constituted a high level body to look into all aspects of demand including the financial implications and also to plan for the management of consequences for addressing the demands.
The high level body, he said, “met last week Tuesday, met again on Thursday, met on Friday, met on Sunday, yesterday and will also be meeting tonight”
“So we are really at work with respect to this we have done quiet a lot of computation, we have met with finance, we have met with budget and national planning. We are looking into all issues relating to this strike.
JOHESU comprises Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU).
Chairman of JOHESU Josiah Biobelemoye, had accused the Minister of ” discriminating against them and refusing to meet agreements it had with the government
At a recent press briefing , the body had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to help save the health sector from total collapse
“We wish to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the general public to the discriminatory, suppressive and oppressive attitude of the drivers of the health sector to all health workers other than Medical Doctors in managing health care delivery in Nigeria.
“It’s on record that patients are always hurriedly discharged and diverted to their private clinics whenever medical doctors are on strike and thereby preventing other health workers from performing their duties and nothing like locum doctors employed to serve the public nor registers opened to enforce compliance; while the policy of ‘No Work No Pay’ has never been applied to the strike mongers who call themselves Medical Doctors.”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
