The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), has called for a uniform COVID-19 Special Allowance to all healthcare workers without discrimination in the country.
NUAHP made the call in a statement signed by its National President, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna and General Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, to mark the 2020 Workers’ Day in Abuja, Friday.
The group further called for the immediate reconstitution of the COVID-19 Steering Committee to include other health sector unions and professional associations and the immediate establishment of National Health Institutions Trust Fund (NHITFUND) for adequate funding and upgrading of health institutions on sustainable basis to meet up with international standard and provide affordable health care for the masses.
While saying that the coming of Covid-19 has exposed the many weakness of the country, the group called on the labour movement in Nigeria to continue to task the government on reindustrializing Nigeria and rebuilding critical infrastructures.
“The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic must be sustained by all.
“We urge all Nigerian workers to be more committed to the struggle and ensure we win the war as soon as possible.
“Federal Government should provide more incentives and protective equipment required to fight the novel virus are provided by the government and relevant authorities.
“Also, provision of rapid test kits and more isolation centres for wider coverage of the test for coronavirus should be considered urgent and imperative.
“The present rate of spread is an indication that proactive measures should be taken to contain it in order to avert a national calamity.
“Social and physical distancing, personal hygiene through regular hand washing or use of alcohol hand sanitizer and wearing of face mask should be considered by all as preventive strategies to contain the spread of the dreaded virus,” NUAHP stressed.
The group, therefore, called on Nigerians to take strategies and other measures recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) seriously.
