2nd June, 2023
By Oluwafunke Ishola
The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has temporarily suspended its strike in Lagos, requesting the Lagos State Government to honour all agreements.
Mr. Sode Adegbenro, Acting Chairman, NUAHP, Lagos State Public Service, made the announcement in an interview on Friday.
Members of the NUAHP in the Lagos State Public Service include health workers at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), all general hospitals, and primary health clinics (PHCs).
Adegbenro stated that the union had suspended the indefinite strike for four weeks to allow the state government to implement the union’s seven requests.
However, he stated that if the government failed to fulfil the accords, the strike will restart in four weeks.
“On May 25, we held a meeting with the representatives of the government at the state Ministry of Establishment, agreements were reached and both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
“The union held a congress on May 26 to review the outcome of the meeting and agreements signed with the state government.
“We decided to empathise with the patients and considering the prevailing economic situation of the country, we reached a consensus to suspend the strike for four weeks.
“This is to reduce the stress being experienced by patients who are seeking treatment at various health facilities and to enable the government actualise the agreements within specified timeline.
“The strike was suspended on Monday evening and all our members are back at their duty posts,” he said.
According to him, the government acceded to implement the payment of hazard allowance and its arrears, as well as domestication of the consultancy pharmacy cadre in the next two weeks.
He said the government also agreed to a four-week timeline to implement the remaining five demands presented by the union.
NAN recalls that the strike partially disrupted clinical services, especially in LASUTH, as NUAHP members in the tertiary hospital pressed home their demands.
NUAHP had directed its members to begin an indefinite strike nationwide on May 25, due to irreconcilable differences between the union and the Federal Government.
The National leadership of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on May 9 issued a 15-day strike ultimatum through a letter to the federal government.
The union said the ultimatum was over the non-implementation of collectively bargained agreements, especially, the issue of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment as done for CONMESS.
NUAHP then directed states with unresolved trade disputes and outstanding demands to immediately join the strike.
NAN