According to Daily Times :
Health workers across Nigeria are expected to
begin an indefinite strike today, over the
unresolved leadership crisis in the health sector,
non-commencement of residency training
programme for health professionals, non-
implementation of new call duty allowance and
non-payment of arrears.
National President of Nigeria Union of Allied
Health Professionals, Felix Faniran, who spoke
in Ibadan yesterday, said the body was formed
to protect the interests of physiotherapists,
medical laboratory scientists, pharmacists,
occupational therapists, optometrists,
dieticians, medical social workers, clinical
psychologists, dental therapists and so on.
He alleged that the Presidency and Minister for
Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, were behind
the crisis.
Faniran said, “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 Abdullahi Gusau, was set up in August
to look into the demands.
“This panel was inhibited from carrying out its
duties by both the Nigerian Medical Association
(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.
The president added that the five-point
agreement signed in May, 2012, had yet to be
implemented by the government.
The effect of the strike should be blamed on
government that ignored all avenues to avert
it.”
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