Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has called for immediate payment of April and May 2018 withheld salaries of health workers on the payroll of federal government.
This was part of the resolutions reached at the first quarter 2022 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NUAHP which took place at Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State.
NUAHP warned that the Union and other health sector unions could no longer guarantee industrial harmony if appropriate authorities of Federal Government appropriate delay further in the payment of the new hazard allowance and April and May 2018 withheld salaries, including addressing other salient demands of members.
The NEC-in-Session praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his kind consideration and directive last year that the withheld April and May 2018 salaries of Federal health workers be paid.
In view of the long delay in the payment, NEC-in-Session suspended deliberations temporarily and entered into an intensive prayer session, asking for God’s intervention in the payment of the withheld salaries.
In his opening remarks, the President of NUAHP, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna lauded the tenacity and commitment of the members of the Union towards strengthening healthcare service delivery in the country in spite of the economic challenges and other varied welfare issues affecting health workers at all levels of the public health sector.
He urged members not to relent in effectively discharging their responsibilities adding that the leadership of the Union will continue to step up its engagement with relevant employers in the public health sector to ensure basic welfare needs and outstanding demands of health workers are met.
NUAHP called on governments at all levels to employ and train more health personnel to man health facilities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels; as urgent measure to bridge the human resource gap in the public health sector.
In a statement issued after the NEC meeting by the General Secretary of NUAHP, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, the union charged Federal Government to put in place appropriate measures to address factors leading to exodus of health professionals to Europe, Asia, North America, etc.
“Federal Government should step up efforts towards containing the outbreak of Lassa fever and other haemorrhagic viral infections whose outbreak has been witnessed in some parts of the country in recent times.
“Federal Ministry of Health should direct Boards and Chief Executive Officers of Federal Health Institution yet to implement the circular on Pharmacist Consultant Cadre to do so, any infraction should attract severe sanctions,” the statement read.
