Aid workers in Maban abort strike over salary

By Ruot George

Aid workers at Maban County hospital in Upper Nile State have have returned to work after a two-day strike over salaries.

The group went on strike on January 31, also demanding for better working conditions from the Dutch international charity group Cordaid which employed them.

It all started when some staffs were directed to stop work.

“Salaries for January is not yet brought and the other problem is the question of post services benefits,” Peter Moi, the medical team leader of the group told Juba Echo.

“These are some of the problems. We want our salaries and post service benefits.”

According to Moi, a committee has been formed to amicably present their demand to the county authority and the organisation so as to resolve the issue.

The commissioner of Maban County, Peter Alberto Mabano, convened a meeting with the hospital workers to listen to their grievances on Wednesday.

“Cordaid accepted all the demands of the workers, salaries will be paid from today February 3,” Mabano told Juba Echo by phone.

Staffs will now be given fix contracts and the issue of the four staffs who were initially planned to be excluded will be resolved, communication is ongoing.”

The commissioner confirmed that the hospital workers were back at their duty stations.

“I instructed them to go back to work, they are back to their work,” Mabano said.

Anazy Nuor, a resident of Doro in Maban county whose child is admitted said the strike affected her child’s treatment.

“My problem is that my child is admitted in the hospital but no doctor has come to check the condition of my child since yesterday,” Nuor said.

But Moi said some doctors had remained to attend to emergencies.

“Some emergency response staffs are working in the hospital,” he said.

“From today the hospital is operational, all patients who have follow up cases should now come as we have temporarily suspended the strike.”