• To immortalise slain polio vaccinators
IN solidarity, the Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Monday said it would join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its one-day strike over the unsatisfactory administration of the pension scheme.
MHWUN said its members would stay off work and join NLC and other affiliate-labour organisations to participate in a rally to Aso Rock in Abuja and the offices of respective governors.
Also, the polio vaccinators who were murdered by gunmen in Kano recently will be immortalised by the health workers as part of activities to mark the second Medical and Health Workers' week which started yesterday.
As a way of giving back to the society, the over 250, 000 members of the union said they will this Thursday offer free medical services to primary schools pupil in all senatorial districts in the country.
The union's National President, Dr. Ayuba Wabba told reporters in Abuja yesterday that MHUWN would pay tribute to its four members and three health volunteers who were killed in the shooting incident that occurred last February during a National Immunisation Plus Day programme in Kano.
Though the nature of the immortalisation being planned was not immediately clear, Wabba said the union would on that day unveil programmes to honour the killed workers as heroines.
He added: "In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the leadership of MHWUN will join the NLC pensioners' rally, with the banner 'Health Workers Stand for Pensions' uniting the course of our week with this very important demonstration to protest the deplorable plight of senior citizens. MHWUN members in Lagos will equally join the NLC pensioners' rally there."
He said the weeklong celebration would be used to further enthrone harmony and collaboration among the different cadres of workers and professionals in the health sector.
"This is why the theme of the week is 'Harmony and Teamwork Critical to Effective Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria'. As you are aware, MHWUN has been at the fore of championing harmonious working relations in the health sector, along with sister unions in the joint health sector unions as well as with several professional associations on the platform of the assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations."
On the free medical services to pupils, he said: "This will take the form of de-worming and health education on personal hygiene. The de-worming would be done using requisite dosages of albendazone, which the union will purchase.
He said resolutions to be held by its state chapters would be presented to the relevant authorities in the states as inputs towards fostering harmonious working relations for effective healthcare delivery.
