Health workers strike indefinitely

The Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Health Care Professional Associations have called for an indefinite strike by their members.

Dr Obinna Ogbonna, National Vice President of JOHESU, stated this at a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday.

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, Senior Staff Association of Universities’ Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, and AHPA are all members of JOHESU.

The health workers are demanding that the FG immediately approve and implement the Technical Committee report on CONHESS adjustment; that the FG immediately pay the omission and shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in Federal Health Institutions and recognize health workers in non-core hospital facilities in the payment of new hazard allowance; and that the FG pay and inculcate peculiar allowances to health workers under the aforementioned aforementioned aforementioned aforementioned

Other demands include the immediate and unconditional implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant cadre, the unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, as well as the April and May 2018 salaries of members at NOFIC, Azare, and the expeditious implementation of the increase in retirement age from 60 to 65 years for Consultants in the health professions.

In a letter dated May 9, 2023, the JOHESU leadership issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over purported anomalies in the government’s ongoing discussions to change the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health professionals on their platforms.

The 15-day deadline began on May 10, 2023, and will end at midnight on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.