BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN— OVER 1,000 patients at the Benin Central Hospital were discharged, late Tuesday, from the hospital as a result of the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Edo State.

Though doctors were not part of the strike, the action affected the nurses and other staff of the hospital that ensured that the hospital was under lock and key, yesterday.

Stranded patients were discharged by the hospital authorities to avoid fatalities, since none of the nurses was around to assist the doctors administer drugs to the patients.

NLC in the state is demanding the immediate implementation of the pending salary relativity structure of 53.37 per cent for the state workers; payment of the balance 20 per cent consolidated health salary structure for health workers; payment of the balance of 10.5 per cent teachers’ special allowance, TSA, to primary school teachers.

Others are implementation of 2011, 2012 and 2013 promotion of public servants, immediate constitution of the state Civil Service Commission and recruitment of more staff to fill vacant positions occa-sioned by the retirement of staff in the state public service.

The entire ministries in the state were under lock as Vanguard learnt that members of NLC had vowed to continue the strike till next year if, government failed to implement their demands.

At press time, it was learnt that the government and NLC officials were meeting, with a view to calling off the strike.