We’ve not received notice – KWSG
By Matthew Denis
The Joint Council of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) in collaboration with the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Kwara State council will today (Monday) shutdown state owned hospitals and health facilities.
The health workers had embarked on an indefinite strike across all the 16 Local Government Areas in the state last week in agitation for the implementation of the 10 percent Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for workers in the councils.
The congress had stated that all the state health facilities/hospitals including the ministry of Environment and Agriculture would also join the strike as from Monday 21st January 2019 to press home their demands.
It appealed to members anchoring health programmes like family planning, Immunization, HIV/AIDS, among others to suspend it during the industrial action.
Speaking to Pilot Health on Saturday, state Chairman of NANNM said, “We still stand by our decision that all the state facilities will be shutdown on Monday today.
“The state government has failed to yield to our demands as I’m talking to you now, therefore we don’t have option than to go ahead with our plan,” he further said.
He urged the public to exercise patience with them as the welfare of health workers is paramount to quality service delivery in hospitals.
Reacting to the development, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed on Labour Matters and Students Affairs, Comrade Bisi Fakayode said that the state government does not have issues with the health workers.
In a chat with Pilot Health at the weekend, he said, “The state government has implemented the 10 percent CONHESS for the state health workers over four months ago. And there has not any ultimatum given by them.
“I want to assure you that the state health facilities will resume work as usual on Monday as there has not been any letter from the state health workers over the planned shutdown of facilities, “Fakayode added.
