By Blessing Odega
Jos – The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) chapter, on Sunday suspended it two months old one-shift duty operation schedule.
Nurses run a three shift duty in hospitals to attend to patients round the clock.
Mr Mustapha Kabir, the Chairman of JOHESU, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the suspension would take effect from 12.00 a.m. on Sunday.
Kabir said that the suspension followed a fruitful meeting between the executives of the Nurses JUTH chapter and the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
He said that members of the union have also received payments of some months shift duty allowance arrears they were agitating for.
NAN recalled that the JOHESU joined the strike of the nurses on April 11.
The nurses have been on strike since March 7 to press for payment of three months shift duty allowance owed them.
With one shift duty, the union’s members only worked from 7.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. daily, exclusive of weekends.
Kabir called on all members of JOHESU to ensure that they comply by starting the normal shift duty immediately.
The Chief Medical Director of JUTH, Dr Edmond Banwat, confirmed to NAN that the unions have suspended their industrial action.
Banwat commended the JOHESU for suspending one shift duty, saying the strike “affected the hospital from operating optimally”.
