Health Workers demand immediate sack of Enugu Psychiatric Hospital’s MD

Aggrieved workers of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu Tuesday, lamented irregularities in the hospital and it’s fall from grace to grass as a result of incompetence and negligence of the management.

The Joint Health Workers Union JOHESU, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu who were also requesting for eleven months’ salary arrears starting from February to December 2017, payment of all withheld arrears, payment of all withheld teaching allowance to the affected staff and immediate enrolment of the hospital into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, called for a change in management.

They expressed disappointment over the withdrawal of accreditation status of school of Psychiatric Nursing, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu and placement of embargo on students’ intake since 2017, as a result of incompetence and negligence of the Medical Director, Dr Onwukwe Jojo, to pay renewal levy of N.9m after failing to pay for three consecutive years.

The angry workers who grounded all activities in the hospital called for the payment of their salaries which was given to the management by federal government.

They lamented the diversion of funds meant for the hospital and workers into private pockets.

The leader of the angry workers and the Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Enugu, Mr. Mathew Eze, said that the hospital was in a deplorable condition ranging from the process of training students at the School of Psychiatric Nursing, workers’ welfare and other things.

He recalled that the current issue started last February when there was a shortfall in their salaries; “the shortfall continued through February to December last year. But there was an agreement with management that the salaries would be cleared within two weeks.

He told newsmen that the federal government released the money to the management but regretted that while other hospitals across the nation were not owing their staff, Enugu Psychiatric Hospital has continued giving excuses.

“We met the management and they gave us conditions on how they will pay us. They said they will pay us the salary in two weeks and after those two weeks they gave us another two weeks and subsequently told us that Abuja has not paid, we went to Abuja and they told us that they are not owing us”, Eze disclosed.

He called on the federal government to come to the rescue of workers and the hospital, disclosing that the training of nurses in the school of Psychiatric Nursing Enugu, have suffered tremendous setbacks and that the condition of the hospital is a threat to patients at there is no light, water, food and drugs.

“The Federal Ministry of Health should investigate this matter and orders should be placed because what is happening here cannot happen in any other place.

“Patients are suffering it now and workers are not happy, no drugs for patients, no water, no food, no electricity. Federal government should change the management because a lot of incompetence and negligence are noticed here”,Eze pleaded.

A patient in the hospital, Mr Nsude Emmanuel, who was admitted for the past three weeks said, “It’s unfortunate that for the past three weeks, we don’t have water, no food, no electricity, no drugs and doctors who comes to the hospital will not attend to the patients.

“I confronted the MD yesterday and he promised me that he will rectify everything today but up till now nothing has happened. I don’t know how we are going to survive because the situation in the hospital now is disturbing and dilapidated. I appeal that the MD should settle the workers to allow work resume normal in the hospital”.

A relation to one of the patients who pleaded anonymity said, “Coming in here, I was disappointed because no nurse, no doctor, no food, no water, no electricity and I have to buy food for my brother which is not supposed to be so. Am not happy because the condition of some patients are worst and some remain stagnant while they were brought here for restoration. Let the government do something to arrest the situation before it will be escalated”.

It was gathered that the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Jojo Onwukwe was directed by the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo, on April 2015 to clarify the ministry on the several petitions centered on non-information on current age and wrongful appointment for second tenure within two weeks.

It was also gathered that the MD had attained the age of sixty (60) years on 3rd of October 2014, being born on 3rd October 1954 and, therefore, was not qualified for second tenure having exceeded the age for holding public office in the civil service.

All efforts to reach the medical director was futile as he failed to take several calls put across to him.