Medical and health workers in Oyo State will begin a seven-day warning strike on Monday to press home their demands.

The president of the state chapter of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), John Fabunmi, disclosed this to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.

Mr Fabunmi said the warning strike would be observed by union members in all health institutions across the state, including those in the ministries, departments, and local government councils.

He said the union had repeatedly reminded the state government of its grievances but had not been able to address their demands.

“Part of the union’s demands is that the new hazard allowance in the state be spread to cover all other health workers, not only those working in the hospitals.

“Another demand is that some of our members removed from the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) be returned and those who have not been placed on the CONHESS be included.

“We wish to let Gov. Seyi Makinde know that up till now, nothing has been done to address these demands, even after we had given the state government a 14-day ultimatum,” he said.

Mr Fabunmi said the 14-day ultimatum elapsed on June 21, adding that up till now, nothing had been heard from the government.

“In view of the present situation and the agitations from our members, the union has, therefore, resolved to embark on a seven-day warning strike to further call the government’s attention to the need to attend to our agitations.

“Our members in all the health institutions, ministries and local governments will be participating in the warning strike, which will commence on Monday, June 24,” he said.

On May 21, nurses and midwives in the state embarked on an indefinite strike in compliance with the directive of the state chapter of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).

The union, through its state chairman, Adeyemi Samuel, had cited the state government’s failure to address its demands as the reason for calling for the strike.

The industrial action embarked on by the nurses and midwives had been taking its toll on the health sector, as the usual boisterous nature in most of the hospitals in the state had disappeared.

(NAN)