Please resume work: FMC Keffi MD appeals to striking JOHESU members

Please resume work: FMC Keffi MD appeals to striking JOHESU members
By Awayi Kuje
Appeal
Keffi (Nasarawa State), April 19, 2018 (NAN) Dr Luka Samuel, the Acting Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, has appealed to Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) members to resume work to prevent further loss of lives.
Luka made the appeal on Thursday in Keffi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He noted that the strike initiated by JOHESU has disrupted normal medical and healthcare services across the country.
According to him, the industrial action is affecting the lives of many Nigerians negatively especially indigent citizens that do not have the means to visit private hospitals.
“I want to appeal to the striking JOHESU members to return to their work and to discharge their duties diligently in order to save human lives,’’ Samuel said.
“The appeal has become imperative because as a result of the strike in the country, many human lives have been lost, this is due to lack of proper medical care and lack of means to go to private hospitals for treatment,” Samuel said.
“I am appealing to JOHESU members; let them have human face, let them have human sympathy as we all know that patients are kings.
“There is the need to always respect and protect the rights of patients in order to improve on their health status,” he added.
He restated the commitment of the centre to continue to improve on the welfare of patients and its staff, urging the aggrieved workers to complement government efforts through hard work in order to ensure quality service delivery.
While commending the Federal Government for its sustained efforts at funding the health sector, the acting medical director however called for improved welfare.
JOHESU consists of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Medical and Health Workers Union (MHWUN), Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, among others.
NAN reports that some of the demands of the union included upward adjustment of salary scale, employment of additional health professionals, review of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years, and implementation of court judgment. (NAN)
AKW/COO/MST
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Muhammad Suleiman Tola