Patients Lament as Health Workers Begin Strike...JOHESU oooooo

…Healthcare activities paralysed in Kogi, Abia

As health workers under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, made good their threat to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike, many patients who turned up at most Federal Government-owned health facilities nationwide were turned back.

Also, healthcare services at public hospitals in Kogi and Abia states were paralysed following the strike embarked upon by health workers to protest non-fulfilment of a better welfare agreement with the Federal Government.

The JOHESU strike came 30 days after another strike declared the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Workers, NUAHP, which is already taking its toll on patients in both federal and state hospitals nationwide.

The strike, which began yesterday morning nationwide took patients on appointment and on admission by surprise as many of them claimed to have had no previous information of the strike.

Vanguard investigations revealed that although normal healthcare services took off on schedule in some affected institutions in Lagos, some of the hospitals complied with the directives of the striking Union.

When Vanguard visited the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, large crowd of patients who turned up for medical treatment was left unattended to. Some of the patients who sat by the stair case of the clinics claimed that they were not told there was going to be strike and would not leave until they are attended to.

Though disappointed, majority of the patients in LUTH refused to vacate hospital premises as there was no other place to turn to for succour.

One of the patients, who spoke to Vanguard, Mrs. Florence Ekeh who brought her 14-year-old son to LUTH for an eye ailment for which he was gradually losing his sight, lamented that his son was not attended to. “Some of the staff around refused to fetched the old hospital file of my son, saying there is no work. They told me to bring my son to the hospital next week.”

In a chat with one of the patients, Mr. Biodun Akinola who was not surprised over the strike, said ”Before the year runs out, if these sets of workers suspend their own, another set will start theirs.

In Kogi State, health care services in all public hospitals were paralysed following the strike.

Vanguard observed that patients seeking medical attention at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, were sent back, while some on admission were withdrawn to private hospitals.

Most of the consulting rooms were devoid of activities as they are empty with no patient, while the laboratory and card rooms were under lock and key.

However, doctors in the wards were still attending to some critical patients already on admission.

However, Chairman, Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja branch, Dan Ameh said the hospital is in total compliance with the directive from the national executive of the union to embark on strike.

He said the Federal Government has reneged on the MOU signed with the union, saying that the strike would continue until there is contrary directive.

In Abia State, medical services were totally paralysed at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, the only federal hospital in the state. All the wards were deserted as nobody was attending to patients. Even the out patients wards were empty as no nurses or any other medical personnel were attending to them.

Though some doctors were around they were not attending to patients.

When our correspondent visited the hospital yesterday, patients and their relatives milled round disappointedly. Akinola who came all the way from the neighbouring state regretted her trip.