A fresh crisis is brewing in Nigeria’s healthcare sector as the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the federal government’s failure to implement the long-overdue adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The warning was issued by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Kabiru Minjibir, while addressing journalists at the ongoing International Labour Conference in Geneva.
Dr. Minjibir expressed deep frustration over what he described as the government’s unfair treatment of non-physician health workers. He pointed out a glaring disparity in how welfare issues are handled within the sector, noting that while the salaries of medical doctors have undergone multiple reviews and adjustments, other vital health professionals have been systematically neglected.
”We have been patient, but our patience is running thin. The federal government must immediately implement the reviewed CONHESS. You cannot review the salary structure of one group in the health sector multiple times while completely ignoring the rest of the workforce.”
The union’s primary grievances center around equity, fair compensation, and the fulfillment of past agreements.
JOHESU is the umbrella body for a vast majority of Nigeria’s healthcare workforce, meaning a full-scale strike would paralyze federal, state, and specialist hospitals across the country.
While Dr. Minjibir did not announce an exact date for the commencement of the industrial action, he made it clear that the union is currently mobilizing its members. He urged the federal government to utilize the remaining window of time to address the union’s demands and prevent a total collapse of healthcare delivery nationwide.
The Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Employment have yet to issue an official response to the union’s latest ultimatum.
