Bayelsa primary healthcare workers suspend strike

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Chapter of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) on Sunday said it has suspended the industrial action embarked upon by its members on February 12.

Mr Barnabas Simon, Bayelsa Chairman of MHWUN said that the Union took the decision after a meeting of the State Executives of the Union on Friday in Yenagoa.

He said the decision to suspend the strike is sequel to the approval of the implementation of primary health care workers promotion arrears with effect from March salary.

He said that the union also considered the very essential nature of health services provided by the primary health care workers across the eight LGAs of the state in suspending the action to await the implementation of its demands.

Simon said the union took into consideration the health needs of people of Bayelsa who benefit from the services rendered at Primary Healthcare Centres and decided to return to work and give government benefit of the doubt.

Simon explained that the union had directed all its members to resume work at their various duty posts beginning from 26th of February 2021 adding that normalcy would be fully restored by Monday March 1.

The strike had shut down health services at Primary Health Centres across the state where pregnant women and nursing mothers in the rural areas often relied on for antenatal and child immunisation services.

The union, appreciated the state government for the approval of implementation of the primary health care workers promotion, urged the government to meet other outstanding demands between now and the next three months.

“After a long period of negotiation between the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria and the government, His Excellency, Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa approved the implementation of the primary health care workers promotion with effect from March 2021 salary.

“The Union appreciates all efforts by the Bayelsa State Government for the approval of the implementation of primary health care workers promotions and arrears.

“It would be recalled that the Union presented five demands of the primary health care workers but out of these five items, Government has only approved the promotions to be implemented from March 2021 salary.

“While others including the salary arrears of between two months to 15 months remain pending, we decided to return to work to show good faith while we expect government to reciprocate our gesture as we do not like to down tools.

“Due mainly to the humanitarian and public health needs of our people, we therefore requested all our members to resume normal work at their various duty posts beginning from February 26th, 2021 as the strike action is suspended.

“We appreciate all our members for their cooperation during the trying period and encourage them to be steadfast while we wait for the government to do the needful,” Simon said