Association of Public and Environmental Health Officers (APEHOG) commenced the sit-down strike following breakdown in the negotiation over unpaid allowance before May 5 2023 with authorities
Musa Nget, APEHOG Vice President confirmed the commencement of the strike on Wednesday, stressing the association demands for its membership to be included in the new allowance package that the government approved for PhD holders and medical doctors serving the Ministry of Health
The executive and entire memberships are strongly concerned over the long silence of the PMO upon receipt of the requested information from HR, MOH while we all provide the same services to the population. We might seem to have been seen differently and treated differently than our sister cadres which the General orders and civil services code of conduct does not support,” he said recently at APEHOG press conference.
“In early 2021, the Ministry of Health proposed to create a specific allowance for the Health Minister, PHD holders and medical doctors serving the Ministry of Health. This we believe was very discriminatory and had caused unprecedented chaos not only within the public health cadre but within the entire Ministry of Health.”
According to him, the decision came as a shock to the cadre and since then a host of avenues have been explored for the inclusion of other cadres into the new allowance scheme.
This, he disclosed that the leadership of the association deemed fit to collaborate with other sister cadres who have been unfairly excluded from the new allowance scheme. He added that the association’s first letter was addressed to the Secretary General and Head of Civil Service dated 2nd March 2021, the association in collaboration with the National Pharmacy Staff Association (NPSA) highlighted their dissatisfaction regarding the bizarre decision.
“However, we would like to express that the APEHOG in its entirety is highly concerned about this unjust treatment and hope that a consensus can be reached to avoid any disruption to services. While we wait on tangible feedback from the health authorities, we will endeavor to keep all our members calm and focused to deliver quality health care services to our people,” he said.
In conclusion, in such times threats and intimidations are inevitable, “therefore, we must stay strong and focus on the ultimate goal.”