JUTH Health workers Staged Demonstration on HWN HIGHLIGHT

Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) on Friday staged a demonstration at the gate of the teaching hospital, demanding the immediate implementation of the agreements it reached with the Federal government recently.

The union, which comprises the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Medical and Health Workers Union, and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) turned out in hundreds, displaying placards some of which read: Provide us with Consumables, The Health Sector is Dying and Promote our members.

Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman of the union, Comrade Mustapha Kabir said the union has vowed to continue with the ongoing strike.

He said, “After deliberation with the congress, the unions were mandated to serve the management with the notice to resume the suspended strike.”

He listed the demands of the health workers to include; providing of consumables like drugs, laboratory reagents, and bed sheets.

Other demands: MRI and CT Machines must be fixed, non payment of promotion arrears, cash collection in some units without remittance into JUTH account, regrading of union member.

When contacted, the Chief Medical Director of the JUTH, Professor Edmond Banwat, appealed to the striking workers to call off the strike and resume work.

He said as medical workers they should consider that they are dealing with human lives and patients needs their care. The teaching hospital is determined to provide effective and efficient medical services, training and research that must meet the health care needs of the people in the community.