Medical Doctors May Reject New Agreements By Which Health Sector Workers Agreed To End Strike

As health workers under the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) call off their strike following a meeting with the Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu, and the Minister of Health, Mr. Onyebuchi Chukwu in attendance, the crisis in the health sector may continue if doctors determine that the agreements compromise their interests, a sources in the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) confirmed on Wednesday.

The meeting between the health workers and the two Ministers started on Monday.  Following the agreements on Tuesday, JOHESU expressed optimism that they will be implemented within two weeks.  The health workers said they wanted to end their industrial action to allow for implementation of the new understanding with the Federal Government.

But the new agreement may not resolve the issues in the sector, until the doctors have reviewed them at the weekend.  Our sources said the NMA will react appropriately if the agreements appear to be questionable.

"We don't know what they discussed and we are not aware if those matters that should concern us were taken into cognizance during their meeting", one source said.

The medical professional described the decision of the court which was taken on an appeal by the Ministry of Health as critically important as a matter of rule of law, but that the change in direction where another dialogue was adopted may override the due process being followed in court.

Another NMA source said, "We thought the matter was on appeal and we hope that the progress of the appeal would not be disrupted by the so-called discussion". The doctors said health workers had done the rightful by approaching court and that parts of their demands were granted.

"It is like, out of about seven demands, about one and half was granted and even that one is even questionable that must be appealed. So the Government must be responsible to appeal in the interest of the public and posterity. After all, National Industrial Court is not the final until the Supreme Court says it is so", the doctor said.  He expressed fear that the meeting of health workers with the ministers to call of their strike may have been developed as a ruse to hurt endeavors at redressing the underlying issues in court.

The issues deliberated upon at the meeting heralding the health workers ending their strike action included membership of board of management of Teaching Hospitals; implementation of 2008 Job Evaluation Report; and retirement and promotion from CONHESS 14 to CONHESS 15.

The meeting also considered the constitution of a presidential committee to oversee implementation of the agreements.