JOHESU strike: Sokoto engages volunteers to mount health facilities

From Raji Bello Sokoto

Sokoto state government has engaged volunteer health workers to mount its health facilities across the state.
The move, according to the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Balarabe Kakale was taken as drastic measures toward mitigating the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Joint Health Sector Workers Union (JOHESU) in the state.
Kakale, made this known to journalists at the end of a meeting with officials of the Union at the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.
He said some volunteer health workers have been mobilized to fill in the gap in the affected hospitals in the state.
The commissioner also stated that all the health facilities would remain open for services and as such there was no cause for alarm.
“All the health facilities will remain open for services across the state. So, the members of the public should remain calm as there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The commissioner pointed out that the industrial action was primarily for health workers in teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres.
He noted that during the meeting, all members of the union had resolved to show compassion to the patients and continue to exercise their duties during the Ramadan.
The commissioner added that the state ministry of health was collaborating with the office of the Head of Service to review the welfare package of health workers in the state.