LUTH nurses suspend 52-day-old strike, may lose salaries

Resident doctors’ industrial action yet to take effect

Nurses at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Tuesday suspended its 52-day-old strike as members returned to duty posts. But they may lose their salaries because of the ‘no-work no-pay’ rule.

The Guardian reliably gathered that the ‘no work no-pay’ rule of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has taken effect in all government institutions.

The nurses under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) LUTH Chapter on June 10, 2016, began an indefinite action to protest, among other things, lack of promotion for members and non-payment of salary arrears.

When The Guardian visited the hospital yesterday, the nurses were seen fully kitted and discussing in groups. Workers at the hospital were seen trying to help in cleaning and fumigating the deserted wards in readiness to admitting patients.

The Guardian reliably gathered that the nurses agreed to suspend the strike following assurances that their demands would be met and some of the demands have already been resolved by the management.

Chairman of NANNM at LUTH, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Adelaja, said: “We are back to work because some of the issues have been resolved while others are receiving the attention of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH). Our demand for promotion of members is receiving the attention of the minister.”

She expressed appreciation to some notable Nigerians, including senators and the former Chief Medical Directors (CMD) and other Nigerians who intervened. “We are happy to be back to work,” Adelaja said.

Also, despite the order on Monday by the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) to members to embark on another round of nationwide strike, their colleagues at LUTH were at their posts yesterday.

The association had suspended its nationwide strike on July 29, 2016 at its national executive meeting held in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Addressing a press conference on Monday in Kano, the National President of the Association, Dr. Muhammad Adamu Askira, said NARD had directed its members in the affected hospitals whose outstanding salaries were not paid as at July 30, 2016 to embark on strike. Askira mentioned LUTH as one of the affected hospitals.

CMD of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, said yesterday that all the stakeholders at the hospital met to restore services and ensure there are no more strikes and disruption of services.