Unions dismiss alleged industrial crisis in FTHL

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL) branch, said that there was no industrial crisis in the hospital.

The unions’ position was in reaction to the protest embarked on by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), FTHL, demanding the immediate reinstatement of its suspended president, Dr Jimoh Umar.

The doctors claimed that the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, has approved the reinstatement of the suspended president and demanded its implementation.

However, the Chairman of JOHESU, John Umoche; Chairman of NANNM, Abdulmalik Idris; and Chairman of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria, Dr Lawal Mohammed, FTHL, in a press conference on Monday in Lokoja, described the allegation as unfortunate and inhuman.

The unions collectively expressed confidence in the capacity of the current administration under the leadership of Dr Olatunde Alabi, as the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of FTHL.

They noted that the unions in its emergency meeting of unit executives of JOHESU and NANNM dissociated themselves from the content of the publication in its entirety.

The unions also refuted the claim that the FTHL was having only 43 doctors, stressing that the hospital currently has a total of 228 doctors.

According to them, the 228 doctors comprised 49 residents, 86 consultants, 42 medical officers, 43 house officers, and seven others.

“The said publication is a complete opposite of the situation in Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, and the author does not mean well for the hospital and the inhabitants of Kogi State.

“It is expected that every staff member of the hospital, especially the frontline healthcare providers, be seen to be of high moral standard and not be found wanting in this regard or be given the opportunity to exhibit or continue to exhibit misconduct.

“No one should be seen or be exempted so as not to create a wrong impression in the minds of other health workers, which could be a recipe for future anarchy.

“The hospital is being governed by the top management staff under the leadership of the CMD, and decisions on issues brought before her are taken at that level after serious evaluation and consultation with the public service rules, and not by an individual.

“The management of FTHL is doing her best within the available resources and has instilled discipline and guaranteed peace and security within the hospital community.

“This effort should not be frustrated as we have confidence in the capacity of the current administration under the leadership of Dr. Olatunde Alabi.

“Any individual or group who may have disciplinary issues should sort it out at the management level as it has always been with other members of staff,” the unions said.

The unions, therefore, warned that they would no longer condone any act that would truncate the peaceful coexistence of members of staff of the hospital.

They called on the Minister of Health to use his good office to nip the situation in the bud and urge President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders to disregard the false rumour of crisis rocking FTHL.