There was a mild drama last week between officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force and protesting staff of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, which allegedly resulted in the assaulting and tear gassing of the protesters.
The staff of the Jos University Teaching Hospital have been on a peaceful protest for the past two months over alleged management’s insensitivity to the plight of junior workers.
Five Members of the staff were said to have sustained various degrees of injuries as a result to the assault on them by the police.
They are receiving treatment at the Plateau Specialist Hospital and Jankwano Hospital.
Worried by this development, the Joint Health Sector Union of the Jos University Teaching Hospital called for the removal of the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Edmond Bawa.
Our correspondent gathered that final year students of Medicine in JUTH were not also allowed to sit for their final examination.
The Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Kabiru, accused Bawa of neglecting the staff for almost three years.
Kabiru complained that an MOU was signed in 2015 with the two Unions and the management promised to reach out to their demands had failed.
He said after the signing in August 2015, Bawa refused to go by the agreement, which led to their strike.
Kabiru commended the intervention of the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, during the strike.
He said the resolution reached with Adewole was not implemented by Bawa.
He expressed concern that the CMD failed to sign the memorandum with the union until he reached the Minister’s office in Abuja.
Kabiru called on the Federal Government to reverse the issue of No work no pay”, which was imposed on staff without following the proper negotiation.
He said: “You would recall that in June 2015 the CMD only paid 394 staff from 2014 and refused to pay others whom he claimed were against his policy.”
According to him, within the last six months, only 260 staff received April salary and in May 270 were paid, with most of the staff yet to receive their monthly salary.
He reiterated that they are protesting for the implementation of the No work no pay, which members refused to accept.
The Unions appealed to the Federal Government to reform the Ministry of Health, adding that doctors shouldn’t be allowed to handle positions in health sector in the country.
The JUHESU leader also called on the government to probe the NHIS account of Jos University teaching hospital.
Kabiru further stressed that the scheme has failed to provide cotton wool, drugs and other health materials.
He revealed that the management of the hospital was playing politics instead of promoting the affairs of the hospital and looking for government supremacy on the JUTH NHIS.