Barely 48 hours after resident doctors began strike, the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU has sent protest letters to government over its grievances with a circular altering the COVID-19 special hazard allowances as well as internship allowances approved for resident doctors.
This is contained in two separate letters to the minister of health titled “Internship for Health Workers” and “re-payment of advancement and hazard allowances”.
In the letter titled “Internship for Health Workers” and copied SGF, minister of labour and permanent secretary ministry of health JOHESU said while 48 Billion Naira has been released for payment of 2017 internship allowance to members of the national association of resident doctors, no provision is made for pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, among other health workers.
JOHESU also threatens to downtools
In the second letter titled; “Re-Payment of Inducement and Hazard Allowances”, which it said the circula issued by the minister of health is at variance and total negation to the Memorandom of Understanding signed on April 21, 2020 as well as the memorandom of action reached on Monday June 8, 2020.
The health workers say the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige had emphasized that all health workers will benefit and used as illustrations, cleaners, word-maids, porters, laundry morticians/mortuary attendants, drivers among others.
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In the letters signed by acting national secretary, Mathew Ajorutu, JOHESU drew the attention of the government to health institutions not captured in the COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowances.
These include; the National Abovirus Vector and Research Center, National Veterinary Research Institute, VOM Plateau State, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Center Zaria and health clinics in universities.
(Editor Nkoli Omhoudu)
