By Appolos Christian
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), over the weekend donated a huge number Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and over 100 cartons of hand sanitizers to the Federal Government as part of its effort to support the fight against COVID-19.
Comrade Bio-Joy Josiah, National President of JOHESU in company of the executive members of the union, made the donation when they visited the Minister of Health, Prof. Osagie Ehanire at his office in Abuja.
In his remarks, Comrade Josiah said JOHESU took the decision to make the donations as part of efforts to help protect thousands of their members who are on the frontline of duties, posted to various isolation centres in the country, containing the virus from spreading beyond control.
He noted contrary to divergent opinions on the outbreak of Covid-19, the Nigerian government should acknowledge the ills it has exposed in the health sector and take steps to address them appropriately.
The JOHESU President, went on to urge the Ministry of Health to see insurance cover for health workers as top priority, Comrade Josiah said healthcare providers are now the contemporary armies who are expected to help in salvaging the country from the pandemic that Coronavirus has occasioned.
His words, “JOHESU just presented hand sanitizers to the Federal Ministry of Health, 100 cartons of 500ml hand sanitizers, summing to about 1200 pieces, we also presented 100ml hand sanitizers, which we feel is for individual protection, so that when sent to the isolation centres, health workers they will have at least one in its kitty, so as to regularly sanitize and protect themselves.
“Statements are being made and ideas are being muted on insurance package for health workers, we are hoping and praying that these ideas will become truthful because everybody has known the importance of health care providers.
“There are two kinds of armies, one is the army with the legal weapon and the other is the unarmed army, the second which is the unarmed force that defends the nation in times like this is the healthcare workers or providers,if you cast your mind back, for many years we have been canvassing on the need for improvement and motivation in the health sector, we hope that Covid-19 would make all that we have been clamoring for become clearer and the government respond appropriately”.
Responding, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire said all contributions towards curbing Covid-19 in the country is valuable, especially now that the virus remains a mystery and has almost crippled the big nations of the world.
He said the donations by JOHESU would go a long way in helping to contain the spread of the virus, especially for the health workers who are currently on the frontline of duty across the country.
Ehanire said, “We thank JOHESU for these presentations to us for use in the battle against Coronavirus, you all know that this is an illness that has taken the whole world in its grip and its affecting even the most powerful countries of the world, prompting us to ask ourselves how do we face this thing that has almost brought these powerful countries to their kneels, one way is that we all bound ourselves together”
