-While Low-key officials and CDC loyalists merry-make in the US on large Gov’t delegation
By M. Neywon Mengonfia–mmenginfia@gmail.com
Nurses at Liberia’s biggest referral hospital, John F. Kennedy (JFK) Medical Center in the capital Monrovia, have laid down their nursing equipment in protest for pay and salary increment, as the national Health Workers Union strike enters its 4th day today (Thursday, September 26, 2019).
They stood in the rain singing songs such as: “the walls of salary mist go up. We are tired today is today change our story, we tired.” They say they cannot continue to work when their meagre pay is delayed for months together with poor work condition.
The health workers said that their action continue until the Liberian government ensure that drugs and batter payment are made.
Just few days ago, pregnant women and baby mothers placed roadblocks at the Du- port road junction in Paynesville near Monrovia, when they were denied treatment at that government run.
All those are happening at the time that Liberian President is in the United Sates attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), taking with him a large delegation, which include what some government watchers described as “low-key none essential staff and die-hard ruling CDC party loyalists.”
Scores of them, including Assistant Agriculture Minister, Allvin Wisseh, Commerce Inspector General, Josephine Davis and other CDC stalwarts and Lawmakers on Monday posted a video on Facebook outside the UN HQ in New York merry-making and chanting battle cries, as President Weah delivered his Address to the UNGA.
It is due to the issue of healthcare workers’ striket that the Liberian Health Minister Dr. Jallah was made to return the UNGA to ensure that things are settled in time, as in most hospitals and clinics.
“There are no drugs and medical supplies, even common gloves and pain tablets,” the Secretary General of the Health Workers Union of Liberia, Samuel Poe Williams said earlier this week.