Healthcare workers in Oyo State, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), have commenced a seven-day warning strike over the failure of the government to meet their demands over two-year period.
Chairman of the association, Olanrewaju Ajani, disclosed after its congress on Monday. He said the association is seeking government’s urgent intervention in meeting its 10-point demand.
Part of the association’s demands include the implementation of the new national hazard allowance for health professionals, implementation of teaching allowance for its members who are deeply involved in the training of interns and students on clinical and research postings, and adjustment of CONHESS table for members in the service of Oyo State as already implemented for medical doctors since 2021.
Others include: “urgent revamping and adequate funding of the state health facilities; release of promotion letters for qualified members who participated in the last promotion exercise in the state; skipping of CONHESS 10 on CONHESS salary table as applicable to Grade Level 11 (on GL Scale) as awarded by National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN); restoration of call duty allowance for dental therapists, recruitment of more health workers and professionals to include members of NUAHP to replace those who are retiring and those who left the service of the state, among other demands.”
Mr Ajani said the union will no longer allow its members to be sidelined and treated as inconsequential in the scheme of things in the health sector.
He said members of the association have been pushed to the wall to take the step after exhausting all mechanisms to avoid a trade dispute. He called on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently address their grievances.
The chairman directed members of the association to proceed on a seven-day warning strike, adding that if their demands were not met, they will resort to an indefinite strike afterwards.
“The seven-day ultimatum as indicated in our letter expired in the early hours of Monday, 4 March. We hereby direct all our members in all the hospitals and health facilities across the state to proceed on a seven-day warning strike from today till 11 March, and if after the expiration, there is no feasible outcome, the union will declare an indefinite strike,” he added.
According to Mr Ajani, the strike will involve laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, dental technologists, dental therapists, medical social workers, radiographers, nutritionists, dietitians, and health records and information managers in all general, state, and specialist/teaching hospitals in the state.
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