11 reasons Nigeria’s National Hospital workers are on strike

Nurses, laboratory scientists, and others at the Nigerian hospital are on strike.

The staff of the National Hospital in Abuja on Thursday declared a total strike commencing from 4:00 p.m.

This follows a three-day warning strike the workers embarked on from Tuesday to Thursday.

The workers said their decision to embark on a total strike was because the hospital authorities were not forthcoming on their demands.

Below are the eleven demands of the hospital workers.

1. Full implementation of the Condition of Service for workers of the hospital.

2. The adoption of the training guidelines submitted to the hospital management in 2010 as a training policy for the hospital.

33. Re-establishment of staff clinic to cater for the healthcare needs of staff and their dependants.

4. Refund of medical bills to staff hitherto suspended should be restored.

5. The annual prepaid housing allowance to staff as loan should be paid as rent subsidy at the beginning of each year as provided for in the Condition of Service for workers.

6. Commencement of approved amount of duty tour allowance to workers as prescribed by the PSR.

7. Stoppage of the payment of the first 28 days accommodation allowance to newly employed staff be reversed and backlog paid to the affected officers.

8. Full implementation of the scheme of service for all health professionals in the service of the hospital.

9. Establishment of a police post around the perimeter of the hospital premises and provision of functional street lights in the hospital’s immediate environment.

10. Reinstatement of the suspended members of staff from histopathology department who have been discharged and acquitted of the offence which caused their suspension

11. The retirement of the Director of Administration, James Odiba, following unlawful extension of the tenure of his service.