KEY POINTS

• JOHESU threatens nationwide strike if demands aren’t met.
• Key issues include salary adjustments and retirement age extensions.
• The strike could resume on Oct. 25 if the government remains unresponsive.

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals have given the federal government a 15-day ultimatum to resolve outstanding welfare issues or face a nationwide strike.

The unions warned that if their demands are not met, members will resume their suspended strike on October 25, 2024. They issued the ultimatum to Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, in a memo dated October 9, 2024, following a unanimous vote by JOHESU’s Expanded National Executive Council.

JOHESU issues a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government

BusinessDay reported that the memo, signed by National Secretary Martin Egbanubi and National Chairman Kabiru Minjibir of JOHESU, was captioned “Notice of 15 Days Ultimatum and Resumption of Suspended Strike Action.”

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria are two healthcare unions that comprise JOHESU. This umbrella organization listed some outstanding issues. Among these is the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment, which JOHESU claims has been delayed since 2014, to align with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).

The unions further demand that federal health institutions establish a consultant cadre for pharmacists and raise the retirement age for health professionals from 60 to 65, with the retirement age for consultants set at 70.

Unions outline key demands for health workers’ welfare

Additional requests include paying the arrears for the CONHESS review, remission of taxes on the allowances received by healthcare workers, payment of COVID-19 hazard allowances to excluded workers, and suspension of the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency’s planned operations. JOHESU further demands that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare revoke the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures.

If their demands are not met, JOHESU threatened to relaunch the strike, which was first put on hold until President Bola Tinubu intervened during a walkout from May 19 to June 6, 2023.

The unions said the government has not lived up to its earlier pledges, even in the face of what they call patriotism and patience. JOHESU has warned an indefinite strike if no action is taken after staging a seven-day warning strike in the past.

“You will concur, Honorable Minister, that JOHESU has consistently shown maturity, selflessness, and patriotism—even in the face of severe provocations and the government’s tardiness in addressing our members’ demands. The union declared, “We feel that our maturity and patriotism have been taken for granted.”

The unions claimed that because the federal government had not addressed their concerns, they had to issue the 15-day ultimatum.