The Nigerian Union of Allied Healthcare Professionals, which is the association body for all healthcare professionals in the health sector, has called off its three-week long strike, while giving the Federal Government till July 31 to look into the issues that led to the strike.
The strike, which commenced on May 18, 2015, has crippled the health sector across the nation as pharmacists, physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, dieticians, dental technologists, optometrists, clinical psychologists, medical social workers and other health professionals, except doctors and nurses, downed tool.
National President of the union, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, said during a briefing at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Tuesday, that work would resume in all Federal Government-owned hospitals across the country on Wednesday(tomorrow).
He said the National Administrative Council of the union on June 4, 2015, having assessed the impact of the strike through responses from the unit branches across the nation, agreed that the strike was very effective nationwide.
He added that the council noted that and that the industrial action had drawn the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the pending issues in the sector which the immediate past government left unresolved.
He said, “The strike should be suspended in honour of the new government of President Buhari. The union is giving the government till July 31, 2015, starting from June 9, 2015, to see that issues under contention are dispensed without further delay.
“The union is also calling on Mr. President to intervene in the crisis in the health sector, where medical practitioners are oppressing other health professionals through the instrumentality of the Ministry of Health/Chief Medical Director, which flagrantly refuse to implement court judgments, collectively bargained agreements and promotions of stagnated members of our union according to scheme of service approved by government.”