ByChioma Obinna   & EbelOnuorah
Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday, described the ongoing nationwide strike by some professionals in the health sector as unnecessary, saying “all the issues raised are either being addressed or under consideration with outcomes expected very soon.”

Prof. Chukwu, who maintained that there was no reason for the strike or threats of strike, warned that government would not hesitate to stop the “pay of any worker who down tools for no just cause.”

The nation’s health sector has witnessed incessant industrial actions by different professionals in the past few weeks.

All cadres of medical doctors in some of the 36 states’ health sector are on strike for payment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.

Others have downed tools because they are insisting on being paid rural allowance.  Some of the professionals in the federal health institutions have argued that house officers and resident doctors are also teachers in some manner and must be paid teaching allowances.

However, the Federal Government has insisted it would not pay teaching allowances to the  resident doctors as they are still trainee doctors.

Speaking on this, the minister of health advised that if they were not paid teaching allowance they should not teach but do their other jobs.

He further explained that the government has sought clarification from the relevant government body to clarify which areas are rural.   “As for those who are agitating that health professionals other than medical doctors be regarded as consultants with all the privileges attached, we have referred them to the Presidential committee on harmonisation which was set up to look into grievances of professionals in the health sector”

The minister said he is anxious to receive the report of the committee in order to begin to restore harmony in the sector warning that government will not hesitate to dock the pay of any worker who down tools for no just cause.

Professor Chukwu however appealed to Health workers on strike and those warming up to join the action to go back to work in the interest of the Nation and patients in the Hospitals across the Nation.

Meanwhile, the strike has paralysed activities in hospitals across the nation as scores of patients wait endlessly for medical attention.

In Lagos state, doctors have abandoned their duty posts while health workers in the Federal Hospitals have embarked on indefinite strike compounding the problems in accessing medical treatment in the state.

The Minister had maintained that payment for Doctors in the States should be handled by the State governments.