EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED AS NEW DETAILS UNFOLD
Suakoko, Bong County – Members of the National Health Workers Union of Liberia have begun an indefinite strike to press home their demands from the government of Liberia.
The head of union’s Bong County, Madam Martha Morris, said the strike was national and that no medical service would be rendered by members while the strike lasted.
She said: “Whereas, we are troubled by the inception of a confused salary harmonization plan carried out by the government of Liberia, wherein, since disbursement of salaries for the month of July 2019 started on August 19, 2019, many health workers are yet to receive any portion of their salaries, while others have gotten only fragment of their salaries, yet others have taken full payment only in Liberian dollars contrary to the much-publicized 65 percent United States dollars and 35 percent Liberian dollars.
In Bong County, health care services were hampered at the Phebe and CB Dunbar hospitals – two of the biggest hospitals in the county.
At the Phebe hospital, family members were seen evacuating their relatives to private hospitals.
The striking workers reportedly ignored the appeal by the Chief Medical Officer of Phebe hospital, Dr. Jefferson Sibley, to provide skeletal services.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity told FrontPageAfrica that over 1, 000 health workers joined the strike.
Madam Morris insisted that the strike must continue. ‘We will not go against the directives of our national body. There must be 100 per cent compliance with the strike until our national body instructs otherwise,’ Madam Morris said