LEADERSHIP CRISIS: Health workers in Nigeria to begin indefinite strike today

National President of Nigeria Union of Allied Health
Professionals, Felix Faniran, on Wednesday, in Ibadan
said health workers across the country will begin an
indefinite strike on Thursday (today) over the
unresolved leadership crisis in the health sector.
Faniran blamed the crisis on the Presidency and Health
Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.
“In May 2010, the unions in the health sector, under the
auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions, presented a
memorandum to the government containing some
demands. A presidential panel, headed by Justice
Abdulahi Gusau, was set up in August to look into the
demands.
“This panel was inhibited from carrying out its duties by
both the NMA and the Minister of Health by way of
protests and criticisms on the part of NMA while the
minister obstructed the committee by starving it of
funds and issuance of circulars to pre-empt the
outcome of the panel.
“The panel managed to submit its report in November,
2011, but till date, none of the 27 recommendations of
the panel has been implemented.
“It should be noted that another panel, the Ministerial
Committee on Medical/Dental Practitioners Residency
Programmes, which was set up the same day with
Abdulahi Bello’s committee, did not only complete and
submit its report as scheduled, its recommendations
are already being implemented.
“These include promotion of our qualified members to
the post of Directors in the Federal Ministry of Health
and parastatals; extension of retirement age from 60 to
65 years and 70 years for non-consultants respectively
and constitution of the management of boards of
hospitals to reflect good presence of other health care
professionals rather than the present situation, where
only medical practitioners dominate each board with 10
members out of 13 members.
The effect of the strike should be blamed on
government that ignored all avenues to avert it,” said
Faniran.

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