Igbobi Hospital workers threaten indefinite shutdown as warning strike ends tomorrow

As the ongoing national health workers strike enters its sixth day, workers at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL) have threatened to stop operations indefinitely, if their demands are not met by the end of the one-week warning strike on Tuesday.

The aggrieved workers under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee of Igbobi, comprising four unions namely: the Medical and Health Workers Union, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Mid-wife, National Union of Allied Health Professionals and Senior Staff Association of Tertiary and Research Institution, last Tuesday embarked on a seven-day warning strike over alleged corruption in the health sector after series of ultimatum given to the hospital management failed to meet their demands.

At a press briefing at the weekend, the striking workers had alleged the following: non-payment of their December 2016 salaries, non-remittance of third party deductions for November 2016 to February 2017, stagnation of its members under the guise of Federal Ministry of Health recommendation and directives, non-payment of three months teaching allowances deducted from workers’ salaries from October to December 2015, non-payment of nine months relative call-duty allowances arrears and non-payment of all outstanding promotion arrears from 2014 to 2016.

Chairman, National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Akinlade Temitope, said there have been several agreements reached with the Federal Ministry of Health through the hospital’s management, which have not been implemented till date.

When The Guardian visited the wards, patients were unattended to as there were no nurses on duty. The distraught patients on admission have cried out to the government to resolve the lingering crisis, as they were reeling in pains.

One of the patients, Mrs. Seyi Raji, said the strike has caused her serious pains on her leg, which is due for surgery, adding that there is no one to assist her ”.