Coronavirus: Health workers threaten to withdraw services in Kogi

…Demand protection

From Ahmad Ibrahim, Lokoja

Workers unions at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja have threatened to withdraw their services if nothing is done to protect their members from contracting coronavirus disease.
The Chairman, Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, Comrade Obajemu Samuel gave the indication when he led other health workers unions at FMC, Lokoja, during a visit to the leadership of the organized labour in Kogi State Monday.
Obajemu told the NLC leadership that health workers at the FMC are daily exposed to the danger of contracting the dreaded disease since there are no provision for testing of patients, to know their COVID-19 status and also lacks Personal Protective Equipment.
He further pointed out that doctors and other health workers at the medical centre are currently working at the risk of their lives and that of their families.
He therefore threatened that if nothing is done quickly by the government and the management of FMC, their members may be forced to withdraw their services or turn patients away from the centre.
The union therefore called on the leadership of the organized labour in Kogi State to wade into the matter before it gets out of hand.
Responding, the NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Onuh Edoka expressed gratitude to the unions and workers at the FMC for the selfless services they are rendering to the people of Kogi State.
While promising to take their matters to appropriate quarters in the state, Mr. Edoka also appealed to the unions to exercise some level of patience in the interim.
The NLC chairman said the people of the state and the poor masses for that matter would always be at the receiving end should the unions withdraw their services at this critical moment.