People living with HIV/AIDS, and
11 other groups weekend in Abuja, petitioned the Minister of Health, Isaac
Adewole and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Senator Chris Ngige over the
ongoing health workers’ strike.
According to the victims, the
protracted industrial action was worsening their situations.
They threatened to hold both
Ministers accountable for any death of members or any other negative
consequences the protracted industrial action would have on their lives or
treatment.
The petition was signed by Civil
Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, CiSHAN, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS
in Nigeria, NEPWHAN, Nigeria Diversity Network, NDN, Network of Religious
Leaders Against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, NINERELA, Civil Society Platform on
Health, Treatment Action Movement, TAM, Initiative, Nigerian Network of Youths
Against HIV/AIDS, NYNETHA, Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in
Nigeria, ASHWAN, New HIV/AIDS Microbicide Advocacy Group, NHVMAS, Media Arts
and Entertainment Network, Association of Positive Youth in Nigeria, APYIN, and
Society for Women and AIDS in Africa, Nigerian, SWAAN.
The petition reads in part: “We
in the Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and Network of People Living with
HIV/AIDS in Nigeria wish to draw your attention to the negative impact the
ongoing strike by the Joint Health Workers Union, JOHESU, is having on People
Living with HIV/AIDS, PLHIV, who are accessing care and treatment across
government facilities nationwide.
“Currently, the facilities have
been shut down completely by the striking workers necessitating our members who
have clinic appointment for their life saving drugs to miss their appointment.
“This is added to the fact that
we are at a critical stage of the HIV/AIDS National Response in which the
National AIDS Indicator Survey (NAIIS) is about to commence. This strike is a
potential threat to the survey of which huge resources has been invested and
committed to it. This survey happens to be the largest survey ever to be
conducted in the world and it is happening in Nigeria. We therefore cannot
afford to fail the international community.
“While we are engaging with the
National leadership of JOHESU to grant our implementing partners access to the
facilities, we use this opportunity to urge you as a matter of national
emergency to immediately resolve all the issues in contention with the health
workers union amicably to enable the striking workers return to duty in
providing continuum of care to people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
“We cannot afford to record any AIDS related
death or continued blockage of AIDS response implementing partners to supported
facilities where treatment is provided to those in severe need of it as this
will lead to a reversal of the gains attained in fighting HIV/AIDS, possible
withdrawal of funding by the international donors as well as making us to miss
the goal of ending AIDS in Nigeria.”
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