Scores of health workers at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, on Wednesday staged a protest over the Federal Government's alleged failure to implement the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS)
The protesting workers, who have been on strike since November 15, said the industrial action would continue until their demands are met.
They marched through major areas of the hospital and parts of Phase II in Ile-Ife, calling on the Federal Government to urgently facilitate the adjustment of CONHESS and disregard salary parity claims by some stakeholders in the health sector.
The unions also faulted the positions of the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on the ongoing dispute over salary relativity, accusing them of opposing the legitimate demands of other health professionals.
During the protest, the workers displayed placards with inscriptions such as "Adjust CONHESS Now", "No to Intimidation", and "Ministry of Health is Not Ministry of Doctors".
Speaking with journalists, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), OAUTHC, and Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), Adeyemi Abdullateef, said the pressure from the strike was already yielding results.
"They are feeling the heat in Abuja. A couple of days ago, the Federal Ministry of Health released a circular indicating that they are attending to our demands because of our persistent pressure. However, the NMA and the association of medical academics wrote letters asking the Federal Government not to attend to us. This shows that the struggle continues, and they have isolated themselves as enemies of other health professionals," he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), OAUTHC, and Secretary of JAC, Comrade Abiodun Saheed, insisted that the workers would not back down until CONHESS is adjusted.
"We are asking for one thing, which is CONHESS adjustment. Unless the Federal Government responds, we will not turn back. No work, no pay. If they do not pay us, we will not work. This adjustment is long overdue and they should give it to us," he stated.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), OAUTHC, Comrade Ogunfolakan Adewale, said the salary adjustment should be implemented for all health workers, just as it has been done for doctors.
"The CONHESS adjustment should be done the same way it was done for doctors. It has been done for them three times, and our unanimous decision is that it should also be done for us," he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Union of Allied Health Professionals, OAUTHC, Comrade Dr. Leye Onitije, described the situation as unjust and a violation of earlier agreements.
"The intimidation and oppression have gone on for too long. Since 2014, CONHESS has been adjusted three times and we were left behind. This is against the 2009 agreement that established the two salary scales. What was agreed was that any adjustment to one scale must also apply to the other. Leaving us out is injustice," he said.
The health workers maintained that the strike would remain in force until the Federal Government addresses their demands and ensures the full implementation of the CONHESS adjustment.
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