The joint health workers union JOHESU of the university of
Jos Teaching Hospital JUTH have today 1st August 2016 staged a peaceful
protest barricading the main entrance of the teaching hospital and
crippling its activities, the protest started early by 7am as they blocked the entrance. The Workers faulted it on the insensitivity of the hospital
management led by the Chief medical Director, Professor Edmond Banwat, calling for his removal.
Speaking to the Plateau state JOHESU Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Kabir,
said that the union had resolved to embark on a peaceful protest today
pending when their April and May salaries are paid and also pass a vote
of no confidence on the top management for total system failure.
He lamented the non implementation of the MOU signed at the instance of
the minister of health since they called off the strike on 6th of June.
Out of over 2000 staff only about 270 received salaries and some were
paid N500, N200 or even N100. He called on the intervention of the
Federal Government as a Federal Teaching hospital should not be faced
with issues such as this and further called for the removal of the Chief
Medical Director and change of the entire management team.
A Doctor in the hospital also confirmed that it was rather
an unfortunate situation and it was painful that it has generated to
this, stating that the entire management led by the CMD has been
Insensitive to the plight of the entire staff and that for the past
7months the hospital has not been effectively functional.
Another hospital worker also confirmed that the hospital seems to be
running to a halt as basic facilities in the hospital are unavailable
and therefore most hospital services are almost at zero. Most patients
have to be taken to other private medical centers for issues that are
normally resolved within and further confirmed that some workers
received as low as N100 for a month salary after unjust deductions as
only a handful have received salaries.
As at the time of filing this report all activities at the
hospital was at a stand still as there was no entrance into and out,
even the medical students writing their exams seems to all be on a stand
still.
The protest is schedule to last the whole day with rumors that the
doctors will also join in the protest if issues are not resolved
The Chief Medical Director could not be reached to comment on the happenings in the hospital.
more details soon…