Juliet Jacob Ochenje
A facility of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), in Abuja, has been shut down for nearly three weeks.
The Centre located in Dutse Baupma under Bwari Area Council in the FCT was closed in early January, causing hardship to users, mostly, vulnerable residents.
Our investigations revealed that workers at the Centre went on strike to demand payment of salaries owed to them. A worker told our Reporter that they were protesting over unpaid salaries owed them by the government.
The health care center is often frequented by poor residents, particularly pregnant women nursing mothers and other low-income earners who cannot afford medical expenses in private facilities.
Speaking with the African Health Report (AHR), a nurse, Mrs. Princess stated that they had shut down the hospital because the federal government had not paid their (Workers) salaries for over three months. It was however gathered that the protest had been suspended after the government promised to pay their salaries.
But another worker claimed that the health care center was closed to allow renovation work in the Centre.
This comes after staff members of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency took to social media to protest against five months’ arrears of salaries, in November 2023.
Also in the same month, doctors, nurses, and Community Health Extension Workers expressed their dissatisfaction with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Sydani Group for unpaid salary arrears lasting four months.
