Health Sector Crisis Deepens as Another Union Gives FG Strike Notice

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The industrial crisis in Nigeria’s healthcare sector appears to be worsening following the threat by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to embark on a nationwide industrial action in 15 days if their demands were not met by the federal government.
In a letter to the Minister of Health, dated September 2, 2021 and titled: ” Notice of 15-day ultimatum and commencement of an indefinite strike”, JOHESU and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) said they were issuing the threat due to the gross neglect of the welfare of their members in the health sector by the federal government despite several letters of complaint.
The unions listed several outstanding welfare issues including; adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) as was done with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), payment of withheld 2018 salaries of staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos Teaching Hospitals and Lagos Teaching Hospitals, review of the defective implementation of the COVID19 special inducement and hazard allowance, Implementation of increase in the retirement age from 60 – 65 years for health workers and 65 -70 years for consultant health professionals and payment of reviewed hazard allowance..
“Consequently, JOHESU in compliance with the provisions of Section 41 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap T8 LFN, 2004, is constrained to give the federal government 15 days ultimatum with effect from Friday, September 3, 2021 and to inform you that with effect from midnight Friday September 17, 2021 all our members in health Institutions nationwide will embark on indefinite strike, whole states and local government chapters are placed on red alert to join the strike if the federal government foot drags in attending to our demands”.