The Joint Health Sector Unions, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) chapter, has called for an end to alleged injustice and marginalisation of its members.
Mr Vongdip Timven, the branch Chairman of JOHESU, JUTH, made the appeal on Monday in Jos when members of JOHESU commenced a 3-day protest.
The peaceful protest would commence at 8 a.m and end at 12 noon daily from Feb. 10 through Feb. 13 within the hospital premises.
He explained that the protest was to draw the attention of the public to the alleged injustices and tyranny the Federal Ministry of Health has meted out to members of JOHESU.
He further said that the protest is to urge the federal government to resolve the outstanding issues it has with JOHESU, particularly the unjustified withholding of the salaries of its members between April and May 2018.
Timven decried the failure of the federal government to implement the court’s directive of the adjustment of the salary structure after five years.
He also lamented that the health sector has been monopolised as only a certain group receives attention from the federal government and that they are calling for a stop to the discrimination in the sector.
The chairman said that the union are demanding for a conducive working environment as it is only when the environment is conducive that they can perform optimally.
He pointed that healthcare is a right and not a privilege, and advised the federal government against privatising the health sector as healthcare would be above the reach of the common man.
Similarly, Mr Mustapha Kabiru, the Chairman, Senior Staff Association (SSAUTHIAL), JUTH chapter, called for the payment of their withheld salaries.
He also canvassed for the resolution of the headship of the laboratories.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the members carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Pay our teaching allowances,” “Release our April and May salaries,” and “Our public hospitals are not for sale”.
NAN also reports that only doctors were seen attending to patients, while the other staff embarked on the four hours peaceful protest. (NAN)