Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) have announced a seven-day warning strike in response to the federal government’s alleged failure to address pressing welfare issues raised by the union.
The union had earlier issued a 15-day ultimatum for the government to resolve these matters, but no progress was made. The key demands include the immediate implementation of the consolidated health salary structure, a 25 percent review of arrears from June to December 2023, an upward review of the retirement age for health workers, tax waivers on allowances, and the immediate payment of COVID-19 hazard allowances.
Speaking after JOHESU’s national executive council meeting on Friday, Kabiru Minjibir, the national chair of JOHESU, told journalists in Abuja that despite repeated meetings and assurances from government agencies, no positive action had been taken.
“The strike could have been avoided if the government had responded to the 15-day notice,” Minjibir said.
The strike, set to commence at midnight on October 25, 2024, will involve health workers from Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU). These workers will withdraw services from all Federal Health Institutions across the country.
Minjibir urged the public to bear with them during this period, emphasizing that the strike is necessary to push for improved healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
“We urge the consumers of health care and well-meaning Nigerians to empathise with us and also give solidarity to this struggle which is aimed at making healthcare delivery effective, accessible, and affordable in the country,” he added.
The union also warned against any form of victimization of its members for participating in the strike, stressing that the action is a “dispute of right.”
