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Tag: Health Workers

  • England players plan donating Euro 2020 title fee to health workers

    England players plan donating Euro 2020 title fee to health workers

    England players will donate their prize money to the National Health Service (NHS) if they win the Euro 2020 title on Sunday, according to multiple local news reports.

    The reports on Friday said the team would receive around 9.6 million pounds (13.2 million dollars) for a victory against Italy in the decider.

    England players started donating match fees to the NHS last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    The reports said the issue was not finalised as some details such as tax implications must still be solved.

  • WHO condemns violence against healthcare workers

    WHO condemns violence against healthcare workers

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned violence against healthcare personnel, including incidents linked to COVID-19 pandemic response across the world.

    WHO, in a statement on “Protection of health care in complex humanitarian emergencies’’ stated that protecting the lives of health care workers was crucial to COVID-19 response.

    “During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than ever, protecting the health, welfare and lives of health care workers on the frontline is critical to enabling a better response.

    “WHO will continue to expand and refine its coordinated efforts to collect data on the incidence and types of attacks on health care, including in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in all complex humanitarian emergencies.

    “By so doing we will further advance our understanding of the scope and nature of the problem in different contexts and better inform the design of mechanisms to prevent and respond to the attacks.’’

    WHO also takes the opportunity to underscore that all parties in armed conflicts must avoid militarising health care facilities and health transportation including ambulances and other types of mobile medical units.

    Such acts are totally unacceptable; they undermine the vital humanitarian work being undertaken and irresponsibly increase the risk of exposing patients and health care workers to potential attacks.

    According to the statement, 2021 marks the 9th anniversary of the World Health Assembly Resolution 65.20 (2012) in relation to the protection of health care in complex humanitarian emergencies.

  • FG proposes 65 yrs retirement age for doctors, health workers

    FG proposes 65 yrs retirement age for doctors, health workers

    The Federal Government has proposed 65 years retirement age for doctors, health workers and 70 years for consultants in the country.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said this at a meeting between the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PSC) relevant Federal Government stakeholders, Health Sector Professional Associations and Trade Unions on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The meeting was called to discuss the Issue of Hazard Allowance and Retirement Age for Health Sector Workers in Government Health Establishments.

    Ngige, while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, said the proposal had become necessary to improve the conditions of service of Nigerian health workers in order to retain their services within the country.

    The minister also said the meeting had made progress and had ironed out issues on the permanent hazard allowance and retirement age for doctors and other health workers.

    According to Ngige, part of the measures to retain the health workers is giving them better conditions of service, including increase in hazard allowance and their retirement age.

    “We have taken their proposal. The government side will firm up its own proposal and we are reconvening June 1, so that we can have an agreed hazard allowance for health workers in Nigeria.

    “We also discussed the issue of retirement age for health workers, being that we want to keep our health workers here in Nigeria.

    ”A lot of people are coming here to poach and take away people we have trained at very great cost.

    ”It takes a lot of funds to train a medical doctor, nurse or even a laboratory technologist or physiotherapist. So, we want to retain them here,” he said.

    Ngige explained that they could be retained for a longer time by making their retirement age to get up to 65 for normal health workers and doctors and 70 years for consultants.

    The minister said in principle, the government agreed to the proposal of the health workers and to put up the necessary machinery in motion for its actualisation.

    He added that it was something that would not happen in one day. It has to go from the Council on Establishments to Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, being something that needed legislation.

    ”We are making progress. The health workers are happy and we, in the government side are happy also. We need them to keep our health system alive.

    “Nobody in government is opposed to the proposal. It is a proposal that is realistic. It is a proposal that we all agreed to last year when COVID-19 erupted.

    ”Remember that we were even calling back people who are retired. We delayed retirement age by six months for health workers so that we can fight COVID-19 pandemic.

    “The pandemic is not yet over. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. We are not praying for any other pandemic but we have to be battle ready at all times, health-wise.

    “We have of course done a lot of stock up. We have rehabilitated a lot of health facilities and they are now in top form. We have molecular laboratories all over the place,” Ngige said.

    He also noted that each state had one, including isolation centres, Intensive Care Units, oxygen plants, storage facilities for drugs, vaccines among others.

    He also said the pandemic had its bad sides as it had woken up Nigeria from slumber in the health sector.

    The President of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Emmanuel Ujah and his counterpart of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) Josiah Biobelemoye expressed optimism that they would reach an agreement to give Nigerians quality healthcare services.

    Others at the meeting were, the Minister of Heath, Dr Osagie Enahire, Director General of Budget Office, Dr Ben Akubueze, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Mashi and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Peter Tarfa.

  • Insecurity: Ogun health workers declare indefinite strike after abducted doctor, nurse regain freedom

    Insecurity: Ogun health workers declare indefinite strike after abducted doctor, nurse regain freedom

    The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the release of a doctor and a nurse abducted on April 7.

    This was confirmed on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi.

    He however could not confirm if the family members of the victims paid ransom to secure the release of the health workers who regained their freedom in the early hours of today.

    The doctor and nurse were identified as Oladunni Odetola and Mrs Bamgbose respectively.

    Adetola, who is the head of General Hospital, Imeko, Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, alongside the nurse Bamgbose were kidnapped on Wednesday last week on Abeokuta – Imeko road.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that the gunmen had emerged from the bush at Olubo village and whisked away their victims.

    Their abductors subsequently demanded ₦20m ransom, a development which allegedly led to fundraising among the health workers in the state in order to secure the release of their colleagues.

    Sequel to this, the State Chairman of NMA, Ogunlaja Oladayo also confirmed their release after about six days in captivity.

    “Yes, they have been released early this morning,” he said.

    When asked if the ransom was paid, Oladayo responded “I don’t have any information on that.”

    Meanwhile, the medical doctors and nurses in Ogun State have announced the withdrawal of services in protest against the abduction of their colleagues.

    The no-work protest takes effect from 12 midnight on Tuesday.

    In a letter jointly addressed to the Commissioner of Health, Dr Tomi Coker, they accused the government of non-committal to securing the release of the abducted health workers.

    The letter titled “Notification of Withdrawal of Service” was dated April 12, and jointly signed by the State NMA Chairman, Oladayo Ogunlaja and the State Chairman of NANNM, Roseline Solarin.

    They described the kidnapping of the health workers as “disheartening, repugnant and unacceptable,” adding that that the government’s approach of “not negotiating with the kidnappers have left us to believe our lives and security is of no essence to this government.”

    The leadership, therefore, declared withdrawal of service by the doctors and nurses, from all public health institutions in the state, effective from 12 midnight on Tuesday.

    “The strike will continue until the safety of our members is guaranteed,” the leadership added.

    The letter reads partly: “In the light of the above, it glaring that the safety of the Health workers is no longer guaranteed.

    “The joint committee of NMA and NANNM resolved as follows: Lives of our members which the government cannot guarantee is sacrosanct.

    “The Government has not shown enough commitment to the safe release of our incarcerated members.

    “Immediate withdrawal of the services of our members from all institutions until the safety of our members is guaranteed, effective from 12 midnight, 13th April 2021.

    “We hope that the government will make the security of lives and properties a matter of priority and see to it immediately.”

  • JOHESU appeals to health workers to take COVID-19 vaccine

    JOHESU appeals to health workers to take COVID-19 vaccine

    The President, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Josiah Biobelemoye, has appealed to frontline health workers in the fight against COVID-19 to take the AstraZeneca vaccine.

    He urged his members nationwide to put aside all grievances and come out en masse to get the much needed protection against the virus.

    Biobelemoye who doubles as President, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), made the appeal in Abuja, while receiving his first jab of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

    He explained that members of the union who have always been discriminated against as health workers especially when it comes to welfare and other benefits, were suddenly recognised as health and front line workers when the issue of vaccination against the virus surfaced.

    While appealing to the health workers to consider their safety first before any existing acrimony or the various conspiracy theories making rounds in the country and African region, gave assurances that the vaccine was safe, adding that he felt no sign of side effects after taking the jab.

    He said: “I have just taken my jab of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and I feel good. I have come to take this to tell all health workers especially members of JOHESU that it is not harmful to anybody.

    “I know their area of grievances that from the outset of COVID, majority of my members were discriminated against that they are not health workers and today vaccines came and they said we are health workers.”

    “They are saying when it comes to butter and bread, naira and kobo we are discriminated against but the bottom line is even if we have to agitate we need to be alive so I am calling on everybody; I have sent advisories, I have been talking to our people and I think the anger is being doused.

    “We are health workers, we are science based and we have been interacting with our counterparts elsewhere in the world. I want to appeal to all Nigerians that if this is having any negativity, certainly, nearly one million Americans will not be lining out to take this.

     

    “Initially, the fear was the vaccine was made specifically to depopulate Africa and all the conspiracy theories but we are witnesses to the fact that the Europeans have used themselves as the guinea pug so what’s the reason for fear?

    “We should come out and take the first and second jab so we can be 100 per cent clear. We have millions of health workers across all levels; federal, state and primary level and they all need to be protected so they can go out and attend to the Nigerian population.”

    On if there is any sanction for members who refuse the vaccination, Biobelemoye disclosed that although no health worker was being compelled or mandated to take the vaccine, “we will appeal to the conscience of everybody as a health worker, you need to be safe, you need to be healthy to dispense health to those who needs it.”

    Officials of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), were on ground to supervise the seamless vaccination process of the leadership of health workers in the country.

    Director Advocacy and Communication of the NPHCDA, Eunice Damisah, who reiterated the safety of the vaccine, said as the day goes by, more Nigerians within the first priority areas, were embracing and coming out to get vaccinated

    “The leadership of the Nigerian health workers has. Appreciated the need for this vaccination so we are here physically to ensure that he gets the vaccine.

    “Nigerians have embraced it, though like every other society there are few skeptics but the more we vaccinate, the more people we have coming out to demand for the vaccine.”

     

  • Buhari blames health workers for going abroad to seek medical care

    Buhari blames health workers for going abroad to seek medical care

    President Muhammadu Buhari has named the unfriendly attitude of health workers across Nigeria as a major reason why prominent Nigerians seek medical care outside the country.

    The president, who was represented by the Ministry of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said this at the official commissioning of an International Conference Centre and Telemedicine Hall and six other projects at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    “We still get all too often for comfort, disconcerting reports of not friendly attitudes of staff to patients, reports of unhygienic and housekeeping standards that leaves something to be desired even in the presence of sophisticated equipment and well qualified doctors.

    “Such simple failings like this, are more frequently responsible for the loss of confidence of the end users in our health system than even the lack of equipment. They are the triggers for the distrust that will lead people to go on medical tourism.

    “We have a lot of work to do in that area and I want to believe that the managers of our hospitals after such laudable, fantastic infrastructure investment we now begin to pay attention, not only to improving staff harmony and welfare, but to retraining health care givers for even better professionalism that deliver service in a productive and courteous atmosphere based on the lessons we learnt from our traditional African hospitality,” he said.

    President Buhari also disclosed that his administration is currently embarking on the infrastructural development of all it’s tertiary hospitals so as to position them for quality health care delivery to the people.

    He added that the National Health Insurance Scheme is awaiting a law that would make the scheme compulsory for every Nigerian.

    “We are carrying on infrastructural development at all our tertiary hospitals to position them for quality health care delivery to all persons, the National Health Insurance Scheme is awaiting a new law to make health insurance mandatory,” Buhari said.

  • 12 health workers test positive for COVID-19 in Taraba

    12 health workers test positive for COVID-19 in Taraba

    Twelve health workers comprising of three doctors and nine nurses have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Federal Medical centre, Jalingo, the Taraba state capital.

    Confirming the incident to Newsmen in Jalingo, shortly after an emergency meeting of the technical committee, the acting head of clinical services of the hospital Ishaya Kola said the medical personnel are responding to treatment adequately.

    ”For this year alone, FMC has recorded 19 cases of COVID-19, out of which 12, unfortunately, are health workers,” he said.

    ”Among the health workers are three doctors and nine nurses of which none is dead.”

    His counterpart the Chief Medical Director of the State’s Specialist hospital, Alex Maiyangwa, said mass testing is ongoing.

    ”In the last one month we tested 363 cases and 60 without the health workers turned out positive and fortunately, no mortality ”

    Worried by the state of non-compliance, the state government through the technical committee has ordered for compulsory wearing of facemasks by residents in public places.

    Chairman of the committee Innocent Vakkai says hands must be on deck to check further spread of the pandemic.

    ”The committee noted that there is an increase in the number of cases in the state which cuts across all the LGAs with the epocentre as the state capital Jalingo.

    ”In view of that, the committee is advocating that the populace should ensure the compulsory use of facemasks in public places.

    ”The number of cases is rising in Taraba and if nothing is done, it can lead to a catastrophic end.

    ”As we await the arrival of the vaccines, let me put it on record that it will first be given to front line health workers that are working directly on patients, either at isolation or treatment centres ”

    “Just in case any corps member is found to be COVID-19 positive, the committee has put up measures on how they can be isolated.”

    According to the NCDC, so far Taraba has a record of 296 cases, with 213 discharged while 71 are active.

    While the NCDC says 12 persons have died of the deadly coronavirus in Taraba, the State government disagrees with the figure, insisting that no mortality has befallen the state as regards COVID-19.

    Lack of PPEs and exposure of medical personnel to COVID-19 pandemic is one of the reasons why the Association of Resident Doctors are currently on strike in the state.

  • Covid-19: NMA demands increase of allowances, says N5k hazard pay insult to health workers

    Covid-19: NMA demands increase of allowances, says N5k hazard pay insult to health workers

    The Nigerian health workers have called for an increase in their hazard allowance as they are major front liners in the fight against the pandemic.

    Speaking at a webinar recently, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Innocent Ujah, said all health workers are being paid N5,000 a month as hazard allowance, a sum he described as degrading and insulting.

    “At the moment, health workers are being paid N5,000 as hazard allowance despite an increased risk in dying and ill health. This is an insult,” he said.

    The webinar, titled ‘Citizens’ Response to Covid-19 Second Wave and the State of the Health Sector in Nigeria’, was organised by the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB), a coalition of over 80 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and organised labour, led by Femi Falana.

    Poor allowances:

    Hazard pay, a wage supplement paid to workers who do dangerous jobs, has been the grouse of Nigerian health workers since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Health workers, being the first respondents to patients, have continued to be at risk of exposure to COVID-19 virus.

    Although health workers have been advised to use full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before attending to patients, many do not have access to this equipment and as a result, over a thousand health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria.

    As of July, over 10,000 health workers in 40 Africa countries have been infected with COVID-19 virus, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    Recall the NMA recently announced the deaths of 20 doctors within a week from complications arising from coronavirus, a news President Muhammadu Buhari described as ‘sad’.

  • Ekiti Health workers begin seven-day warning strike Monday

    Ekiti Health workers begin seven-day warning strike Monday

    The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti would on Monday begin a 7-day warning strike to press for the payment of their outstanding benefits.

    This was contained in a letter dated September 25, 2022 and addressed to the Hospital Chief Medical Director, Prof. Kayode Olabanji.

    The letter was signed by Chairmen of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Com. Monde C.K, and Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Com Farotimi O.O.

    Other signatories are: Chairmen of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Com Olaiya A.M. and Senior Staff Association (SSA), Com. Arigbede T.

    The letter entitled: ‘Notice of 7-Day Warning Strike’, released to newsmen, on Saturday, said members were being owed 14 months unremitted cooperative deductions, among other benefits attached to promotions without verifiable evidence of government’s commitment to pay in due course.

    The letter reads: “With reference to our letter dated August 28,2020 and September 18, 2020 with the following agitations: 14 months unremitted deductions, promotion letters and its financial implementation, conversion/ advancement and 2020 promotion exercise for our members, we write to inform you of our intention to proceed on a 7- day warning strike .

    “It is a fact that based on your letter of September 23, 2020, your response has no commitment towards our agitations.

    “It is on this premise that the congress resolved to embark on a 7-day warning strike commencing from Monday, September 28, 2020.”

    The EKSUTH management had last year disengaged some workers on the premise that they then had over bloated workforce, which was affecting the hospital’s capacity to pay staff’s benefits and procurement of equipment.

    The staff expected that their demands ought to have been met, having proclaimed that the downsizing was meant to make the hospital responsible to payment of all benefits to workers as and when due.

  • Health workers suspend seven-day nationwide warning strike

    Health workers suspend seven-day nationwide warning strike

    Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), have suspended their seven-day nationwide warning strike.

    Mr Josiah Biobelemoye, JOHESU National Chairman, made this known in a statement at the end of its expanded National Executive Council meeting on Sunday in Abuja.

    Biobelemoye directed all members of the union to resume work by Sept. 21 and also await further directives.

    Members of JOHESU and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) embarked on a seven-day warning strike to press on its demands from the Federal Government.

    The union demands included disparity in the payment of hazard and inducement allowances to workers in the frontline containing the spread of COVID-19 among others.

    Biobelemoye said:“ I bring fraternal greetings to you from the entire members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA).

    “This is to bring to your notice that the 7-day nationwide warning strike embarked upon by the members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) would come to an end midnight of today, Sept. 20.

    “By this notice, all health workers under the five Unions that make up Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) shall return to work on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 across all Federal Health Institutions in the country.

    “However, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health has continued to exhibit high level of bias/discrimination by refusing to address the demands of our members as presented by JOHESU within the seven days of the warning strike as was done to other bodies in the health sector.

    “The next line of action would be decided in due course by the expanded National Executive Council of JOHESU.”

    He also alleged that rather than call JOHESU for dialogue to resolve the trade dispute, the Federal Government resorted to intimidation and blackmail of the union leaders using all forms of instruments and faceless organisations.

    He further said that JOHESU would continue to use all legitimate means to defend the rights and demands for the welfare of its members in the health sector.

    “Nigerians should bear us witness that JOHESU has shown high patriotism by demanding that public health system in Nigeria is sustained and adequately financed for effective, efficient and affordable healthcare service delivery.

    “In view of the above and in line with the resolution of the expanded NEC meeting held physically and virtually today, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, I hereby declare that the seven days warning strike is suspended.

    “All our members are directed to resume work by Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 while awaiting further directives,” he said.