By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—Health workers at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, in Bayelsa State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest over the alleged continued refusal of the Federal Government to discuss and approve the demands of the Joint Health Sector Union and Assembly of Health Care Professionals.

According to the protesting health workers, led by the Chairman of University Teaching Hospital Research and other Allied Institution, SSAUTHRIAI, Mr. Save Bani, the strike, called in November 2014, had resulted in the death of about 100 patients in the state, including a nursing staff of the FMC, Mrs. Theresa Edet.

The protesters, armed with placards, some of which read “Jonathan save the health sector,” “Jonathan: Our health or your second term, choose,” called on the President to immediately take a break from his campaign schedule and approve the demands of the health workers.

They lamented that even after series of meetings through the Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity and the Minister of Health, the administration was yet to fulfill the demands of the union.
He said: “It is sad that in the President’s home state, the effect is worrisome and has resulted in a rise in deaths of patients due to the strike action and resulting high expenses paid in private hospital for health care.

“In spite of the series of peace meetings with the union, the Federal Government has been treating our demands with disdain and levity, not minding that our members constitute 95 percent of the entire workforce in the health industry.”