KEFFI (NASARAWA), – The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa state, Dr Joshua Giyan, said seven of his staff have lost their lives to the protracted strike by the Joint Health
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Sector Unions (JOHESU) in the country.
Giyan disclosed this on Thursday in Keffi while briefing newsmen in Keffi local government area of the [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]state.
He said that the industrial action had affected the lives of many Nigerians who have no means to visit private hospitals and appealed to the aggrieved workers to return to resume duty to prevent loss of lives.
He said: “This press briefing was necessitated by the hardship been faced by the masses as a result of the strike action embarked by the JOHESU as many less privilege Nigerians are dying every day due to non-access to health care services.
“The overseeing Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, called us for a meeting and said that the Federal Government is doing its best to implement the white paper submitted to it by the presidential committee of experts of inter-professional relationship.
“We are appealing to the striking health workers to return to their work as government has decided to stop skipping of CONHESS 10 because it was considered illegal and federal government is also doing its best to increase their remuneration.
“The appeal has become imperative. This is because as a result of the strike, this centre has lost seven of its staff, this may be due to lack of proper medical care or they don’t have the means to go to private hospitals.
“The striking workers are said to be repulsive to the committee’s report and have issued further threats, if this continues how can we ever get out of the mess? Where would we then find an arbiter,” Giyan said
He said that the centre has been also bedevilled with the strike which had disrupted public right to essential healthcare services leading to untold hardship, morbidities and increase in mortality rate.
The director also urged the striking workers nationwide to reason with government and to restore quality service delivery to the people at the grassroots.
The medical director restated the commitment of the centre to continue to improve on the welfare of its staff, urging them to complement government efforts through hard work.
The Head of Clinical Services of the centre, Dr Yahaya Ubam, commended the medical director for his efforts in ensuring quality service delivery to save lives in the state and the country at large.
He also lauded the federal government for its continued efforts in funding the health sector and called for its sustenance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that JOHESU embarked on indefinite strike in November 2014 to press home demands for improved working condition, equipment and infrastructure in public health facilities, among others. (NAN)