Health workers threaten strike over medical, dental council bill Health workers threaten strike over medical, dental council bill
• We can t guarantee industrial peace in health sector, JOHESU warns
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The health workers, under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professional (JOHESU), have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike and shut down all health facilities, over the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria repeal and re-enactment Bill 2020; and the open biased displayed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, during Monday’s public hearing on the bill.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, on Tuesday, National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, said the leadership of the unions under JOHESU could no longer guarantee industrial peace in the health sector nationwide if the burning issues and their other demands were not addressed.
Josiah, while speaking to journalists on what transpired at the hearing, alleged that the Committee Chairman, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, disregarded the arranged list of presenters during the public hearing and hand-picked presenters and barred his perceived antagonists.
According to him, Oloriegbe, as a Medical Practitioner and interested party in the bill is not eligible to preside over a public hearing of that nature on moral grounds.
Oloriegbe has dismissed the accusation, insisting all the associations and unions present at the event were allowed to make presentations.
The lawmaker also debunked allegation of giving preferential treatment to one association against others, saying all were treated with fairness despite time constraint.
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The joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Health on Monday flagged off an investigation into the controversies trailing the purpose of the total sum of N10 billion released recently by Federal Government to Ministry of Health for local production of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.
Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, who expressed the concern in Abuja, during an emergency meeting on the production of vaccines in the country, alleged that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire misinformed Nigerians on the purpose of the N10 billion released which was for COVID-19 vaccine.