Uyo – Prof. Etete Peters, Chief Medical Director, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), has appealed to striking health workers to heed Federal Government pleas and return to work.
Peters made the appeal in Uyo, while briefing newsmen on the activities of hospital.
According to him, as medical workers, they must have respect for sanctity of human life.
He said UUTH, being the only federal health institution in the state, should be functional at all times to address the pressing health need of people within and outside the state.
“Medical workers have to be humane enough to consider the plight of the suffering masses, if their call to medical service is truly premised on life saving,’’ Peters said.
He said that public health sector had been paralysed following the three months strike by the medical workers.
The chief medical director said the Federal Government had made efforts to be alive to its responsibilities as evidenced in the series of negotiations it held with striking health workers.
He said it was no longer necessary to hold on to the strike as many lives were at stake.
“The Federal Government has been having series of negotiations to resolve the industrial action; unfortunately some of the issues are still pending.
“The only outstanding issue now is on payment of certain allowance which has been approved and provided for in the 2015 appropriation budget.
“I want to appeal to the health workers to get back to work; the prolonged strike is no longer necessary.
“I completely condemn the decision to prolong this strike; such action is a disregard to the sanctity of life and unworthy of those called to save lives,” he said.
