By Chioma Obinna

Lagos—74 days into the strike called by Joint Health Sector Union, striking heath workers have appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to save Nigerians from needless deaths.

The workers who protested yesterday in Lagos over what they described ‘as government insensitivity’ to the plight of the workers warned that political office holders should also remember that though they can afford to take their relatives abroad for medical treatment they could also be caught up in the web of epileptic healthcare delivery.

According to them, like the old saying, ‘when two elephants fight, the grass suffer’, patients are seriously suffering the effect of the strike and nothing seems to be happening on the part of the government.

Addressing the State chapter of the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, at the premises of the Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos, the Lagos Chairman of the Union, Comrade Stephen Ibe who is also the Chairman, Federal Area Council, said there is need for the government to make the health system conducive for all group of health professionals.

Ibe who accused the Federal Government of fuelling discrimination among health professionals said government is still adamant to their demands.

He appealed to the government to urgently release the much expected circular containing their demands as agreed by both parties. “We are ready to go back to work should President Goodluck Jonathan and his team release the circular. Government has continued to ask for time. We have been on this issue for over four years. We have signed several agreements none of them have been implemented.

”One of the major agreements is to release the circular containing our demands. Government has not shown any sensitivity to our demands.”