OSUN TEACHING HOSPITAL WORKERS DISRUPT BOARD MEETING, THREATEN STRIKE OVER LAB PRIVATISATION

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

Workers of the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, on Thursday disrupted a meeting of the hospital’s Governing Board over plans to privatise its laboratory services through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The protesters, comprising members of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Medical and Health Workers Union, Non-Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Association and Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, stormed the hospital’s administrative building where the meeting was being held.

The workers chanted solidarity songs as they demanded that the management suspend the proposed PPP arrangement and provide details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with the intended private partners.

The protest reportedly forced the board meeting, presided over by its chairman, Mr Niyi Owolade, to end abruptly.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting unions, Olumide Faniran said the workers had repeatedly demanded access to the MoU but were yet to receive it.

Faniran alleged that rather than meeting with the unions to address their concerns, the board asked the workers to submit their demands in writing.

He said the unions were particularly opposed to the proposed private laboratory because the hospital already had an existing laboratory capable of generating significant revenue.

“We had a meeting with them a few days ago, where we agreed that the status quo should remain. But to our surprise, they conducted interviews yesterday (Wednesday) for the intended workers they want to engage for the private laboratory,” Faniran said.

He alleged that the proposed arrangement could undermine existing services and worsen longstanding disagreements among different categories of health workers at the institution.

According to him, the five unions outside the medical doctors’ cadre subsequently formed a Joint Action Committee to collectively oppose the PPP arrangement.

Faniran said the unions were informed that they would meet with the Governing Board at 10am on Thursday, but claimed they were later told around 2:30pm that the board would not meet them and that they should instead forward their position in writing.

He said the development prompted the unions to embark on the peaceful protest after deliberations at their congress.

The union leader warned that the workers could embark on an industrial action if their demands were not addressed, saying the 14-day ultimatum earlier issued by the unions would expire at 11:59pm on Sunday.

“If they fail to adhere to our demands, we have no option but to embark on a strike on Monday,” Faniran said.

He alleged that other services, including radiology, intensive care unit, morgue, kitchen and security, could also be affected by the proposed PPP arrangement.

However, the Governing Board Chairman, Niyi Owolade, assured that the disagreement would be resolved.

Owolade said the PPP model was being adopted by several teaching hospitals across Nigeria as a means of improving service delivery.

He said the arrangement at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital was still at the discussion stage and had not been concluded.

“We are meeting with the unions next week. The issue will be resolved next week,” Owolade said.

He explained that the board arrived at the decision to pursue the PPP arrangement following approval from the state governor, adding that discussions with prospective partners were still ongoing.

According to him, similar PPP arrangements had been implemented at teaching hospitals in Ife and Ibadan, among other institutions across the country.

“There is no much ado about it,” Owolade said, urging the workers to understand the details of the arrangement.

The board chairman also expressed readiness to meet with representatives of the unions to address the concerns raised by the protesting workers.