The industrial crisis at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has been temporarily suspended after the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals gave the Federal Government two weeks to resolve its dispute with the hospital management over the treatment of a senior pharmacist.
NUAHP called off the strike for two weeks following an intervention by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The union had embarked on the indefinite industrial action last Wednesday in protest against the failure of the UCH management to restore Adeyinka Ishola to his position as Director and Head of Pharmaceutical Services.
In a statement on Tuesday, the union’s General Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, said the decision to suspend the action was taken at an emergency virtual meeting of the National Administrative Council and the UCH branch executive committee on September 20.
He said the suspension was intended to provide an opportunity for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
The union, however, warned that the reprieve would end if the matter remained unresolved after two weeks.
Egbanubi said the union’s notice would then become a strike ultimatum under Section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act.
He further disclosed that the national leadership would assume control of the dispute and begin mobilisation of its members across federal and state health institutions for a nationwide solidarity action.
At the centre of the disagreement is the union’s demand for Ishola’s unconditional reinstatement as Director and Head of Pharmaceutical Services at UCH.
According to NUAHP, Ishola’s redeployment from the directorate to head a unit amounted to a demotion and punitive measure.
The two-week suspension therefore provides a window for government intervention, with the possibility of a wider health-sector industrial action looming if the disagreement is not resolved within the period.
