Members of Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Ondo State chapter have withdrawn their services from health institutions across the state to express their grievances over non-payment of their outstanding salary arrears.
NUAHP comprises health professionals including medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, health information managers/officers, dieticians and radiographers.
Chairman of NUAHP, Ondo State Chapter, Adeyinka Adedire in an interview with Channels Television in Akure, the state capital said members of the union could no longer cope with the agonising situation.
Adedire explained that the union gave the state government a 15-day ultimatum to pay up the remaining 50% of November 2020 salary as well as January and February salaries.
According to him, another three-day ultimatum was given by the union, but despite all of these, the government never deemed it fit to call them for dialogue on how to resolve the issue.
He added that apart from outstanding salaries, the government is also owing to the health workers two months COVID-19 special allowance, as agreed in May 2020.
Adedire expressed that the congress of the union met and decided to withdraw their services indefinitely from all hospitals in the state as of Monday, 8th March 2021.
The health sector in Ondo state is currently facing a serious threat as the action of NUAHP following initial action by doctors in government payroll who are currently on indefinite strike.
The doctors have been on indefinite strike for over a month; while nurses and midwives recently resumed work following a three-day warning strike.
