Communiqué of the 9th Plenary Session of the West African Health Sector Unions Network (WAHSUN) held at the Health Services Workers’ Union Centre, Tema, Ghana, on September 21-22, 2012
Introduction
The
West African Health Sector Unions Network held its 9th plenary
session at the Health Services Workers’ Centre, Tema, Ghana, on September
21-22, 2012. In attendance were delegates from Health Services Workers’ Union
of Ghana TUC, Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association, Medical and Health Workers’
Union of Nigeria, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Sierra
Leone Health Services Workers Union, National Private Sector Health Workers’ Union
of Liberia and officials of the Public Services International Regional Office
for English Speaking (East & West) Africa. The Health Services Workers’
Union of Rwanda was represented in an observer status, while sister unions
affiliated to the Ghana TUC as well as the national leadership of the Ghana TUC
graced the opening session of the programme.
The
meeting deliberated extensively on the state of the sub-region and the national
situations in the different countries of WAHSUN member-unions. The delegates
also held intensive discussions on deepening the commendable role of WAHSUN and
its member-unions in the quest for better health services in the sub-continent.
In
the course of its deliberations, the WAHSUN-in-session observed and resolved
thus:
1. The global economic crisis continues to subsist with dire
consequences, particularly for the working people. This is reflected in rising
unemployment and inflation rates. Unfortunately, governments have been
attempting to find solutions with the same neoliberal tools that constitute the
problem, which include; privatization, deregulation and cuts in social
spending. WAHSUN-in-session calls for the reversal of this paradigm of
development and the enthronement of a people-centred pathway to economic
recovery which will include: more, and decent jobs; increased social spending
and; participatory democracy from below;
2. The present year is one where general elections will
hold in Ghana and Sierra Leone, while gubernatorial elections will hold in Ondo
state of Nigeria. This reflects the consolidation of democracy in the
sub-region. WAHSUN-in-session welcomes this as a development from the era where
military dictatorships held sway in West Africa. There is however the need to
deepen democratic ethos in ways and manners that ensure the will of the people
is aptly reflected in the results of elections. Thus, elections must be free,
fair and transparent. Towards this, WAHSUN-in-session calls on all political
parties, particularly those in power, to avoid politics of bitterness and
division. WAHSUN member-unions, as leading unions in their different countries
and across the sub-region will therefore be at the fore of campaigning for
peaceful and issue-based electoral processes;
3. WAHSUN-in-session was very much bothered by the fact
that it is now very clear that countries in the sub-region will not meet the
MDGs target, particularly with regards to health. This is very worrisome and
avoidable with adequate funding for health care delivery. WAHSUN-in-session
noted that most countries in the West African sub-region are nowhere close to
meeting the 15% budgetary allocation for health as stated in the 2001 Abuja
Declaration of African Heads of States. WAHSUN-in-session thus categorically reiterates
its demand for compliance with this declaration towards revamping public health
care delivery and thus helping to save the millions of lives;
4. WAHSUN considers legislation on Decent Work, in
general, as a step in the right direction as such could help in ensuring
qualitative improvements on working conditions where and when this is genuinely
done. WAHSUN-in-session however considers the formulation of the Decent Work
Act by the Liberian government, as being questionable and contrary to the
spirit of the Decent Work Agenda as enumerated by the International Labour
Organisation. This is because it fails to cover civil servants and maritime workers,
who comprise 60% of the country’s labour movement. WAHSUN-in-session thus calls
for an amendment of the law for it to be universally applied to workers in
Liberia;
5. WAHSUN-in-session viewed the expansion of private
sector delivery of health services with concern. This situation is largely a
reflection of the cuts in social spending, particularly for public health which
started in the 1980s with the Structural Adjustment Programmes. WAHSUN-in-session
while calling for increased funding of public health noted that even when
provided through private enterprise, health services are public services. The
only way to make sure that private sector health providers inculcate this
notion is by strengthening union presence in private health facilities, which
are unfortunately, quite notorious for their anti-union stance. WAHSUN
member-unions thus committed themselves to intensive campaigns at organising
health workers in the private sector, both in defence of health workers, and in
pursuit of qualitative health care delivery in general;
6. The downward trend of inflation in Ghana from 20.74%
in 2009 to 9.5% in 2012 seems to be a very welcome development for which the
Ghanaian government should be commended. Further GDP growth at 14.3% in 2011
surpassed the earlier projection of 12.3% for the year, which equally could be
considered as a cause for cheer. WAHSUN-in-session is however bothered that
despite this picture of relative macroeconomic stability the living conditions
of working people in Ghana have not improved in a commensurate manner.
Unemployment rates remain high and wages low. WAHSUN-in-session thus calls for
the immediate commencement of negotiation between the social partners in the
country towards establishing a living wage for workers and for instituting
pro-people policies that would foster increased employment;
7. The terms and conditions of work in the Liberian and
Sierra Leonean public sectors are appalling to say the very least. With monthly
minimum wage of $10, public sector workers in both countries are about the
least paid in the world. Considering the nature of services that health workers
render, this deplorable situation is particularly unacceptable. Gross
under-staffing of the public health facilities, which is worsened by very high
rates of migration due to poor wages and terrible working conditions have
resulted in serious overworking of health workers.
WAHSUN-in-session views this situation in Liberia and Sierra
Leone with grave concern and demands the: urgent upward review of wages in the countries’
public sector; mass employment schemes, particularly within the health sector
and; enthronement of Occupational Health and Safety procedures in the
workplace;
8. WAHSUN was bothered by the seeming paradox of increase
in both growth and poverty in Nigeria. While its GDP virtually doubled from $170.7
billion in 2005 to $413.4 billion in 2011, the poverty rate rose from 54% in
2004 to 69%, in 2011 with that for 2012 estimated at 72%, by the country’s
National Bureau of Statistics. This situation has led to heightened
disillusionment and increase in the incidence of social vices.
WAHSUN considered this state of affairs as arising
from the mono-cultural reliance of the country’s economy on the oil sector as
well as the legendary corrupt character of the country’s ruling elite.
WAHSUN-in-session thus calls for an alternative model of economic development
in the country which will place industrialisation and re-distributive social
policy at its core. Further, the fight against corruption in the country must
be hinged on building alternative social institutions which rest on trade
unions and progressive civil society organisations that are genuinely
interested in making sure that corrupt elite in the country are duly checkmated.
9. WAHSUN was as well gravely concerned by efforts in the
Nigerian Senate and in the Adamawa State House of Assembly at passing
anti-strike legislations, aimed at circumscribing the legitimate right of
workers including those in the health sector to withdraw their labour power as
a final alternative within industrial relations practice. WAHSUN-in-session
categorically warns against the consummation of these efforts as such would be
vehemently resisted;
10.
WAHSUN
appreciated the fact that managements of public health facilities in countries
across the sub-region are committed to the promotion of Occupational Health and
Safety (OHS). Considering the peculiarly hazardous nature of work in the health
sector, this is a progressive step forward. WAHSUN-in-session however noted
that the implementation of effective OHS and policies and procedures require
institutionalised collaboration and social dialogue between the trade unions
and managements. In this regard, WAHSUN-in-session demands the establishment of
bi-partite OHS committees with representatives of both the trade unions and the
managements at workplace level;
11.
The incidence of the
cholera epidemic in West Africa is a matter of very serious concern for WAHSUN.
In Ghana, there have been 5,800 reported cases with 60 deaths, while in Sierra
Leone, a state of emergency has been declared over the epidemic which has
claimed 273 lives. In Guinea and Senegal, over 10,000 persons have been
affected by the epidemic as well. Similarly not less than 87 persons have died
from this scourge in Nigeria. WAHSUN noted that the epidemic has been located
in slums within these countries, which have greatly increased in recent times
due to rising poverty.
WAHSUN-in-session pledges the commitment of its member-unions to
combating the epidemic with all fervour. WAHSUN however notes that at the heart
of this health problem are crucial socio-economic questions of destitution,
unemployment, poor housing, poverty and pauperization which the governments of
states in West Africa would have to address. Further, this epidemic reveals the
poor state of public health care, particularly environmental health services, due
to inadequate concern by governments, despite the expertise of trained human
resource for health.
12.
WAHSUN acknowledges
that the challenge of ensuring qualitative health care delivery for the
citizens of countries in the West African sub-region would require the
concerted efforts of all stakeholders in the sector and a re-definition of the
dominant paradigm guiding policy. Towards placing the common man, woman and
child at the heart of health policy and practices, WAHSUN will embark on a
3-year Campaign for Quality Health for
All in West Africa, from 2013. This campaign will equally be a major
platform of advocacy for improving on issues that militate against qualitative
health care delivery such as: inadequate and poor state of equipment and
logistics, including standard medicines; unacceptable patient-health worker
ratios and; violence at the workplace.
Conclusion
The
9th plenary session ended with a rededication of WAHSUN affiliates
to deepening the growth and development of the Network and contributing
significantly to the improvement of public health care delivery and the
betterment of the lives of the millions of people in the sub-region.
WAHSUN
expressed its appreciation and that of all its member-unions from outside Ghana
to the Health Services Workers’ Union and the Ghana Registered Nurses
Association for their warm hospitality. WAHSUN member-unions equally expressed
their warm appreciation for the Public Services International Regional
Secretary, Brother David Dorkenoo and the Sub-Regional Secretary, Brother Sani
Baba, who participated actively in the session’s deliberations for their
continued commitment, to the growth and development of WAHSUN.
.................................................
Rev
Richard Yeboah
Presiding
Chairperson
.....................................................
Com (Dr) Ayuba P. Wabba mni
National President
Medical and Health Workers’ Union of
Nigeria (MHWUN)
...................................................
MR. Kweku Asante Krobea
Chairperson
Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association
(GRNA)
....................................................
Mr. Momo J. Kamara
National President
National Private Sector Health Workers union of Liberia
(NPSHWUL)
................................................
Com. Ansu Rashid Kallon
Secretary General
Sierra Leone Health Services Health
Services Workers Union
(SLEHSWU)
............................................
Bro Abu D. Kuntulo
General Secretary
Health Services Workers’ Union of Ghana
(HSWU)
......................................................
Dora Etuk
National Association of Nigeria
Nurses and Midwives
(NANNM)
..........................................................
Sis. Mukaruzima Dativa
General Secretary
Syndicat du Personnel Desante (SPS)
Rwanda
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