THE Organization of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA) this week began a survey in multiple countries of the West African sub-region with the primary objective to better understand the situation of healthcare workers in the course of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The survey is to run from 6th to 20th July, 2020.
The exercise, tagged “OTUWA Health Survey,” which is being carried out in collaboration with the American Solidarity Center, is designed to gather information that will help OTUWA to support healthcare workers in the most appropriate way. It is also a prelude to a sub-regional campaign being planned by OTUWA on the theme: “Healthcare Is A Human Right.”
In a note to intending participants in the survey, the Programme Officer of the Solidarity Center, Bashman Adeshina, stated that the exercise is “voluntary and completely confidential,” adding that participants do not have to answer any questions that they do not want to answer.
The link to the survey questionnaire, in English and French, has been sent out to the leaderships of national centres for onward distribution to health sector unions and health workers with a target to get at least 100 healthcare workers across occupational lines in Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
“If each country does its part, we will have valuable information from 600 healthcare workers from across West Africa,” Adeshina stated, as he implored members of OTUWA’s Communication Working Group to liaise with national centres to assist in monitoring and ensuring proper administration of the questionnaire.
“Your country’s level of response to the survey will be shared back to you throughout the month, and we will provide a country specific analysis as well as a regional analysis at the end of the process,” Adeshina emphasised.
