PHOTO: L-Gov’t officials and Health workers leader reaching deal; R-FLASHBACK patient being taken away by relatives
By Our Staff Writer
Four days of strike by Health workers across Liberia has now ended, after serious negotiations between the Health Workers Union and the Liberian government at the weekend.
“Having negotiated with the government in good faith, the national executive committee of NAHWUL is pleased to announce that it has called-off the go-slow action, which began on Monday, September 23, 2019,” the Secretary General of the Union, Mr. George Poe Williams declared on Friday, September 27, 2019.
After regretting the problems caused for thousands of patients due to their strike action, the Health workers began returning to their respective public hospital and clinics late Thursday.
“We regret the ugly situation, therefore, we wish that in the future, such a general action would never reach a crisis point,” Mr. Williams said.
The strike was in demand of three months of salary arrears, pay cut of some health workers in some instances, poor work environment as well as lack of drugs and medical supplies, including basic things like gloves.
According to him, the Liberian Health workers were forced into resorting to strike action “because government representatives on the negotiation table blatantly refused to address our concerns, which included pay raise and other benefits.”
“As you may be aware, some of the health workers are assigned in very rough terrains, where they sometimes have to cross over dangerous rivers in canoes to get to their places of work, a situation which is highly risky, particularly during the rainy season, and yet we are not paid for months,” the Health workers Union spokesman said.
There were reports that few lives were lost in the wake of the four-day strike by Health workers. Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah had to cut short her trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to return home to beef up the negotiations.
Dr. Jallah, assured the health workers that the government will address their concerns appropriately and in the shortest possible time.
Dr. Jallah said promised to work with the Health Workers Union to provide the needed medical supplies to the various facilities in the country.
The Liberian Health Minister then apologized to the public who were affected by the strike action.