By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—ACTIVITIES in all state owed hospitals in Edo State,  were paralyzed yesterday, as medical workers including doctors, downed tools over alleged failure by the state government to implement the new salary scale for health workers in the state.

In a communique by Dr Stanley Ehiarimwian (Association of Resident Doctors), Dr Osagie Aiwerioghene (Nigerian Optometric Association), Osawe Kate (National Association of Nurses and Midwives), Osaretin Enadeghe (National Association of Hospitals Pharmacists), Alhaji Suleiman Y.E.(Association of Medical Lab Scientists of Nigeria), the groups lamented that several letters communicated to the government were not  attended to, adding that they decided to embark on the strike action after they exhausted all “ responsible and legitimate attempt” to get fair response to their demand from government failed.

It was learnt that though the state government increased the salaries of health workers last year, the new tax regime of the state government affected Medical Officers,  who are paying higher taxes more than their counterparts in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, who according to them, are earning higher but pay lesser taxes then those at the state owned hospitals.

Vanguard learnt that a House Officer in UBTH is earning N180,000 while his colleague in the state owned Central Hospital is earning N99,000.

To make matters worse, it was learnt that the Senior Medical Officers in the state Hospitals are not happy that following the increment by government last year, House Officers who are their juniors are earning more than Senior Medical Officers, who have served for over nine years.

However, the communique urged the state government to announce “a commencement date for the implementation of COMMESS and CONHESS in the state.”

The workers are saddened that matters have come to this but we believe the inadequate response form government has led to this grave preventable climax.”

Attempts made to reach to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Momoh proved abortive as he did not  pick his phone.