Following perennial industrial action by health workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Unions, the Federal Government has set up a committee to review the technical and financial aspects of the demands by the striking workers. Punch reports that the move was part of the decisions reached at a meeting of top government officials held on Sunday night on the crisis in the health sector caused by the ongoing industrial action.
The Director of Press, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Lawrence Ojabo, disclosed this in a late night statement issued to newsmen.
Although the statement failed to mention the members of the committee, it disclosed that the committee would on Monday and Tuesday continue its meeting aimed at ending the strike action.
The statement read in part;
“In a bid to restore normalcy to the health sector and ameliorate the sufferings of patients, high level Federal Government Officials met on Sunday, April 22, 2018, to find ways of ending the ongoing strike by Joint Health Sector Unions and finding lasting solutions to the issues.
A committee was mandated to review the technical and financial related aspects involved in the demands of JOHESU. The high level Federal Government team will continue its meeting on Monday and Tuesday. Government continues to reassure members of the public that FG health facilities nationwide shall provide normal services and urges all employees to go about their duties peacefully as adequate security protection shall be ensured.”
Recall that last week, health workers in Federal Health facilities embarked on nationwide strike following alleged refusal by the Federal Government to meet their needs arising from earlier agreements.
