Officials of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have carried out a compliance operation at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, forcing health workers on duty to vacate their posts amid the ongoing nationwide strike.
The monitoring team, made up of members of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), insisted that the industrial action remains in force until the Federal Government addresses the unions’ demands on workers’ welfare.
During the exercise, some hospital staff reportedly attempted to evade the team while still clutching patient files, as union officials moved through departments to ensure total compliance.
Speaking during the monitoring visit, the Abia State Chairman of NUAHP, Mr Chibueze Oparaocha, said the unions were determined to ensure that no worker undermines the strike at FMC Umuahia.
According to him, all required procedures were followed before the strike commenced, stressing that the unions would sustain the action until their grievances are adequately resolved.
“We followed due process before embarking on this strike, and until justice is done, we will continue the struggle,” Oparaocha stated.
Also speaking, the Abia State Chairman of MHWUN, Mr Solomon Offor, explained that a major demand of the unions is the implementation of the long-overdue adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which he said has remained unresolved for over a decade.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of MHWUN at FMC Umuahia, Mrs Commy Okonkwo, lamented that some workers were attempting to frustrate the strike, while commending those who have remained committed to the industrial action.
She described the level of compliance as encouraging and expressed optimism that the Federal Government would respond positively to the unions’ demands.
“The level of compliance is quite encouraging, and I believe the government will listen to us and do the right thing,” she said.
Meanwhile, findings indicate that the strike has significantly disrupted healthcare services, forcing some patients to seek medical attention at private hospitals, prayer centres, or return to their villages due to the shutdown of services at the federal facility.
