Patients receiving treatments at the University College Hospital ( UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State are groaning, no thanks to the strike by health workers under the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).
The indefinite strike action, which began on Monday, was a result of unresolved welfare-related issues being demanded by the health personnel.
Among others, the workers are demanding abolition of the appointment of only full-time staff of universities as Chief Executives of Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres, the abolition of the offices of Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, the release of the interview conducted for members of the union to the posts of directors, stoppage of imposition of medical practitioners as heads of department over other professionals and the immediate removal of the Minister of Health.
The aggrieved workers, whose services would be adversely affected by the strike, are pharmacists, physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, dental technologists, occupational therapists, health information officers, dental therapists, dietitians and others.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Ibadan, NUAHP Chairman, UCH branch, Mr Sotiloye Olusegun, asked all members of the union to withdraw their services henceforth in line with the directive of the national body .
Patients at UCH have been groaning in view of the industrial action as many would be forced to seek health services in private hospitals.
Olusegun said that the Federal Ministry of Health has failed to accede to all the demands made by the union.
He said: “The current practice in which Chief Medical Directors of Teaching Hospitals and Medical Directors of Federal Medical Centres are appointed from among only one group of professionals (i.e the physicians) should stop.
“The post should be open to all health professionals. It is pertinent here to point to a fact that the physicians have been using this post to oppress and suppress other professionals in the health sector, a situation which has hindered the growth of other health professionals and kept them under tyrannical governments.”
The NUAHP Chairman, who alleged indiscrimination and imposition against members, said there was nowhere in the law “where it is stated that you must have MBBS before you are made the Chief Medical Director”.
“As a responsible professionals who are fully aware of what may be the effects of strike action in the health sector, we have given a lot of time for the Minister of Health to address all these demands but all efforts have proved abortive. This union has, therefore, mobilised her members for an indefinite strike,” he said.
