Teaching hospitals workers begin indefinite strike today

The National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) will embark on an indefinite strike today.

The NUAHP Chairman, UCH branch, Mr. Sotiloye Olusegun, told journalists yesterday in Ibadan members of the union would withdraw their services henceforth in line with the directive of the national body. He said the Federal Ministry of Health has failed to accede to all the union's demands.

Olusegun said: 'The current practice in which Chief Medical Directors of teaching hospitals and Medical Directors of Federal Medical Centres are appointed from among only one group of professionals (i.e the physicians) should stop. The post should be open to all health professionals. It is pertinent here to point to a fact that the physicians have been using this post to oppress and suppress other professionals in the health sector.'

The demands of the health workers include the abolition of the appointment of only full time staff of universities as chief executives of teaching hospitals and federal medical centres; abolition of the offices of Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, the release of the interview conducted for members of the union to the posts of directors, stoppage of imposition of medical practitioners as heads of department over other professionals and the immediate removal of the Minister of Health.

The aggrieved workers are pharmacists, physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, dental technologists, occupational therapists, health information officers, dental therapists, dieticians and other related professionals in the health sector.