Some aggrieved causal staffs of the Yendi District Hospital have seized receipt books belonging to the accounts department of the Hospital.

The casual staffs who worked as revenue collectors of the hospital took the receipt books following management decision to downgrade the size of temporary workers to ensure the efficient use of hospital scarce resources.

The temporary revenue collectors include, Sulemana Yahuza (Releaving Duties), Sulemana Kassim (OPD/Dispensary/Lab Night Abdulai Napari ((Dispensary Morning), Ibrahim S.Tea (Male/Female Ward/A&E Ward), Abdulai S. Rafihatu (PAED AND 2/NICO/Mat/Labour, Habibu Atika (OPD afternoon/Lab/X. Ray) and Issahaku Nuhu (Dispensary Night).

According to the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr. Ayuba Seidu Abdulai, the revenue collectors refused to submit their accounts and receipt books following a suit they file against the hospital at the Tamale High Court over a decision the hospital took to down size casual staff.

He explained that, management of the hospital had directed that all casual revenue collectors’ to surrender the receipt books to the accounts department pending the decision by the court. “We don’t even know their motive for still keeping such an important public accounts book… we pleaded with them but they are still keeping the receipt books”.

Dr. Ayabu disclosed, they (Hospital) have already made a complained to the police awaiting the outcome of the court.

Temporary Workers of the hospital on 1 June, 2018 petitioned the hospital through the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to seek redress following management decision to downgrade the size of the Casual staff. The embattled Casuals among other things alleges that, they have not been paid their salaries for four months, neither had their Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions nor Second Tier pension contributions been paid since June 2018.

The aggrieved Casual staffs are comprised of pharmacists, revenue collectors, laboratory technicians, orderlies, labourers and mortuary attendants.

Subsequently, CHRAJ filed a suit at the Tamale High Court to seek an order of interlocutory injunction to refrain the Yendi Government Hospital from carrying out any activities in relation to advertising of vacant positions and any recruitments exercise to replace the 92 temporary workers (who are currently seeking redressed in court) at the facility.

The Order of Interlocutory Injunction letter dated on 30th July 2018, signed by the Senior High Court Registrar Mr. Benjamin Boye and sighted by the savannanews24.com concludes that, “The Injunction is to last for ten (10) days unless extended after it has been repeated on notice”.

Management of the hospital in letter dated 1st June 2018 signed by the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ayuba Seidu Abdulai, sighted by savannanews24.com announced the termination of all engagements with temporary staffs of the hospital on 30th June, 2018.

According to the letter, the intention by Management to down size casual staffs is one of the measures taken to deal with the current operational challenges facing the hospital including, regular payment of temporary staff and other official commitments.

“This is informed by the erratic disbursement of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the insistent agitation of this category of staff and the near zero productivity of some person of this category”. The letter states

Management of the hospital in the letter however, called on all temporary staff to reapply if they so desire to continue to work for the facility, the Casuals were given up to 14th June, 2018 to reapply and subsequently availed themselves for the selection interview.

The Yendi District Hospital in another letter dated on 27th June, 2018 extends the date of submission of applications by temporary staffs to 3rd of July, 2018 to enable more casual staffs to apply.

The Medical Superintendent of the Yendi Government Hospital, Dr. Ayuba Seidu Abdulai told the press in Yendi that, the facility which serves over 15 communities and a referral hospital in the Eastern Corridor in bid to enhance the quality healthcare delivery in all units of the hospital decided to open a window of applications to all casual staff for their contracts to be renewed.

He revealed that, at a staff durbar on 1st June 2018, Management announced to all casual staffs that, their contract with the Hospital will end on 30th June, 2018 thus all casuals who are interested to continue working with the hospital were urged to apply for re-engagement of their services by the close of 15th June, 2018.

Dr. Ayuba said, the extension of the submission of applications follows a broader consultation with all stakeholders in the Yendi Municipality, however, at the close of the second window for applications, a total of 45 applicants were received, 32 of the applicants were from the existing casual staffs while 13 were new applicants.

“The 45 applicants were invited for interview on 17th to 18th June, 2018. The score sheet for the interview was designed to cater for Appearance, Education Background, Experience, Intellect and General Knowledge. The Panel however agreed that the mark for education background should not be scored in certain category of staff including, care takers, watchmen, cleaners and morgue attendants”. He said

Dr. Ayuba said, the hospital is respecting the refraining court order, adding that, all the allegations level against the hospital by the aggrieved Temporary workers will be answered in court.

He assured residents of Yendi and its environs that the hospital is not in crisis as quality of healthcare is been serve to clients despite the distraction of the Casuals.

“We are doing our work as usual, we are serving our clients with the best of quality healthcare service delivery though we have to make some adjustment to contain the situation”. He noted

He said, the casual staffs before the court order have used several methods just to discredit and frustrate the system.

The Workers Union Chairman of the Hospital, Ahamed Yousif Naa-Belley in an interview with savannanews24.com reiterated that, the actions of the Casual Staffs were unwarranted as avenues where created for them to apply for re-engagement.

According to him, negotiations with the Management of the hospital were on going and suddenly the Casual staffs went behind and filed a suit at the High Court through CHRAJ. “When we met I pleaded with them to apply for the hospital to re-engage them but I was shocked when the Administrator called me and show the court order to me”.

The Casual staffs after their actions, abandoned their post, “OPD and other service delivery units were halted due to their actions but I quickly with a direction of management mobilize other workforce to adjust the situation”.

Mr. Naa-Belley who also work at the accounts department, hinted that, casual staffs at the department took away receipt books in their possession. “As we speak the receipt books are still in their possession”.

Our checks (savannanews24.com) on all the units of the hospital revealed a very calm hospital where some casual staff were seen at post and serving clients of the hospital.

A Casual staff on duty who wants to remain anonymous hinted that, most of her colleagues were coerced into the action taken by the Aggrieved casual staffs, “We were all asked to reapply since our contract with the hospital ends 30th of June… so I reapplied and went for the interview”.

Asking why she did not join her colleagues in their legal actions, “Why should I?. It was a clearly administrative practices. There is no big deal to reapply for reengagement…. My colleagues might have their reasons but I don’t support their actions”.

Meanwhile, Management of the hospital will appear before the Tamale High Court this week to respond to the suit against the facility.