KEY POINTS

• FG fails to meet demands of JOHESU, threatens indefinite strike.
• Health workers demand that arrears should be paid without delay and are demanding salary adjustments.
• Next conciliation meeting with FG set for February 2025.

JOHESU, comprising the Allied Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA), has warned of an indefinite strike action, if the Federal Government fails to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on October 29, this year.

The union also asked Federal Ministry of Health to address governance issues like the reconstitution of boards of management for 73 federal health institutions for purpose of accountability and professionalism.

The union comprising of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), indicated that its grievances included delayed adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), inadequate compliance with consultant pharmacist cadre circulars, unpaid arrears of hazard allowances.

Urgent action from FG demanded by health workers

While we acknowledge some progress on payment of nine months of salary arrears to members in 13 regulatory councils, any further delay in meeting all outstanding demands will precipitate an end to industrial harmony, it said.

Among the demands are:

Conformance with the consultant pharmacist cadre circular to federal health institutions.
By December 31, 2024, they are to pay seven months’ CONHESS review arrears.
Retirement age of health workers is to be upwardly reviewed to 65 years for all and 70 years for consultants.
The immediate payment of archived COVID-19 hazard allowances.

The union also implored the Federal Ministry of Health to tackle issues of governance, requesting it to reconstitute boards of management of 73 federal health institutions to engender accountability and professionalism.

The FMO is the next conciliation meeting with the Federal Government scheduled for first week of February 2025. JOHESU, therefore, enjoined members to remain calm and await further directives.