THE nationwide strike embarked on by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), has grounded medical activities at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.
The chairman of the Union in the hospital, Comrade Samuel Idowu, said the strike became imperative over the failure of the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the union despite several ultimatums served on government.
He accused the FG of lop-sidedness on welfare packages as regards to various health professionals.
Idowu said “We believe the healthcare team comprises of various professionals and to that extent government should be responsible enough to take care of the needs of all of these professionals so that sub-optimal care will be given to patients.
“But what we have witnessed is lop-sidedness in the way government dishes out welfare packages to team members, favouring one side of the team above other side of the team. Specially, the medical doctors are being treated as sacred cows in this ministry, while we on this sides of the divides are being treated as sacrificial lambs. We are saying enough is enough.
“We believe by the labour convention, strike action is the last resort that would force the hands of government to come to the negotiating table. We are not foreclosing negotiation. We hope the government would be responsible enough to begin negotiation with our national leader to ensure that we bring issue of same to an end,” he added.