Felix Faniran, National President of Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAHP, has announced the commencement of a strike action by health workers nationwide.
He made the announcement in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday.
Faniran said health workers in the country will begin an indefinite strike on Thursday, over various issues, including 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.
Faniran accused the presidency and Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, as being behind the crisis in the health sector.
“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.
“The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and the Minister of Health inhibited this panel from carrying out its duties 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,” Faniran said.
He added that the effect of the strike should be blamed on government that ignored all avenues to avert it.
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