By Asmau Ahmad with NAN Report
Lagos, Dec. 4, 2014; Health workers at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, on Thursday said that they would join the ongoing nationwide strike by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU). The national body of JOHESU had directed all health workers in Lagos State Government-owned hospitals to join the strike from Dec. 4. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported that the union had on Nov. 12 embarked on an indefinite strike in all the Federal Government-owned hospitals to press home its demands. NAN correspondents, who visited LASUTH, report that essential medical services were ongoing. Health workers in Federal Government-owned health facilities in Lagos had on Nov. 12 embarked on strike following the directive signed by Mr Felix Faniran, JOHESU National Vice-President.
Investigations showed that only skeletal activities were going on at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Meta and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba. NAN reports that only doctors have been attending to patients streaming into the hospitals since the strike began. . Mr Rasheed Bamishe, the Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union, LASUTH chapter, said that all health workers in the hospital would comply with the strike. “All health workers, that is, our members across JOHESU including the health centres, are duty-bound to comply with the directive. It is the directive by the national headquarters of JOHESU” he said. Also speaking, Mr Olufemi Tonode, the President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, LASUTH, said that nurses would tidy up their work within 48 hours to join the strike.“Every member will comply, but the nurses will have to tidy up their instruments and prepare the minds of relatives of patients” he said. Commenting,
Dr Abdusalam Moruf, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, LASUTH, noted that many people had yet to be unaware of the strike, as many patients still streamed into the hospital. He said that doctors were not part of the strike. “A lot of the departments are still open, and patients are allowed to come in.”It just started today; not many patients are aware; doctors are on ground and are at their duty posts” Moruf said. NAN reports that the demands of the union include immediate issuance of a circular on adjustment of its members’ salaries and immediate and full payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 salaries.
