Health workers threaten strike, issue 15-day ultimatum to FG

Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals have vowed to embark on a nationwide strike in the next 15 days, should the Federal Government fail to resolve its pending welfare issues

The health workers made this known in a memo dated October 9, 2024 and addressed to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate.

The memo signed by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, and National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, was obtained on Thursday, October 10.

The workers said they would resume their suspended strike on October 25, if their demands were not met.

JOHESU is made up of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions, and Associated Institutions, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.

The workers noted that some lingering unresolved issues had led the unions to embark on a nationwide strike from May 19 to June 6, 2023, but was suspended consequent upon the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

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The issues listed by the unions include the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure as was done with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since January 2, 2014, the implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists in Federal Health Institutions, the upward review in the retirement age from 60-65 years for health workers and 70 years for Consultants, and the payment of JOHESU members in professional regulatory councils.

Others are the payment of arrears of CONHESS review, the tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, the immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, the immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of National Health Facility Regulatory Agency, and the withdrawal of the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures

The unions, however, demand the immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, immediate payment of 25 per cent CONHESS review arrears, immediate payment of nine months (January–September 2024) salary to staff of regulatory agencies, and immediate restoration of funding to Environmental Health Regulatory Council, immediate reconstitution of Boards/Governing Councils of FHIs, the commencement of the process to upwardly review retirement age of health workers through Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to the Federal Executive Council.

Other demands include tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of NHFRA, withdrawal of the DRF SOP by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the implementation of approved entry point, call duty and other allowances for holders of Doctor of Pharmacy.

The Star