The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association (AHPA), last Friday declared a seven-day warning strike effective from midnight October 25, to drive their demands.
Rising from an Expanded National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir, National Chairman of JOHESU and National President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), outlined the reasons behind the decision to strike.
He cited the government’s inaction on key demands raised since their last industrial action, suspended in June 2023, after assurances by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that these issues would be addressed.
Speaking to journalists, Comrade Minjibir listed some of key demands and welfare concerns of JOHESU and AHPA, leading to the industrial action.
Top on their list is: Adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS). Minjibir emphasised that the demand to adjust CONHESS, JOHESU’s flagship issue since 2014, remains unfulfilled. In 2009, a Collective Bargaining Agreement established CONHESS alongside the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors, but only CONMESS was adjusted in 2014. According to JOHESU, this discrepancy has created an unfair pay disparity among healthcare professionals, directly violating the 2009 agreement. Despite the reconstitution of the Presidential Committee on Salaries, Minjibir expressed frustration that CONHESS adjustment remains a low priority.
Coming behind CONHESS adjustment is implementation of Consultant Cadre for Pharmacists: While acknowledging government progress on the implementation of a Consultant Cadre for pharmacists, JOHESU notes that only a few Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in federal health institutions (FHIs) have complied. JOHESU applauds the directive from the Coordinating Minister of Health, which threatens sanctions for non-compliance, but urges further enforcement to ensure full implementation.
Retirement Age Review for Health Workers. Citing the “brain drain” plaguing Nigeria’s healthcare system, JOHESU demands that the retirement age for healthcare workers be raised from 60 to 65 years, and from 65 to 70 years for consultants. They are urging the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to secure Presidential approval for this adjustment through the Federal Executive Council. Minjibir argues that this policy change could help retain experienced professionals and stabilize the health workforce.
Payment of JOHESU Members’ Outstanding Salaries in Health Regulatory Agencies. The union has raised concerns over non-payment of salaries for nine months (January to September 2024) for workers in 14 regulatory councils and agencies under the Ministry of Health. JOHESU emphasised the severe socio-economic impact on workers, noting that many cannot meet basic needs or cover medical expenses due to unpaid wages. Some workers have reportedly lost their lives or faced dire health crises due to their inability to afford healthcare. Minjibir called the situation “a violation of labor laws,” appealing for immediate intervention to alleviate the economic hardships imposed on these workers.
Arrears for CONHESS Review. Though the government commenced implementation of a partial review of CONHESS in January 2024, JOHESU asserts that members are still owed seven months of back pay from June to December 2023. The union demands immediate settlement of these arrears.
Tax Waiver on Healthcare Workers’ Allowances. To mitigate economic challenges and reduce healthworker migration, JOHESU is requesting a tax waiver on allowances for healthcare workers. This incentive, they argue, could help address the “Japa Syndrome,” a term for the mass exodus of Nigerian healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
Unpaid COVID-19 Hazard Allowances for Omitted Health Workers. JOHESU criticized the government for excluding certain healthcare workers from COVID-19 hazard allowance payments, despite multiple representations made to the Ministry of Health. They are demanding immediate disbursement of the allowances for affected workers.
JOHESU has also voiced strong opposition to the Federal Ministry of Health’s proposal to establish the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA). According to the union, the NHFRA would disrupt existing structures, potentially causing “industrial disharmony and professional disputes” within the healthcare system. Minjibir emphasized that established regulatory councils—such as the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)—already handle specialized oversight, ensuring compliance with professional standards. JOHESU maintains that creating a centralized regulatory agency would duplicate efforts and undermine the authority of these bodies.
Concerns Over the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The union also condemned recent revisions to DRF SOPs, which outline drug procurement and management protocols within healthcare institutions. JOHESU argues that these SOPs overstep established legal mandates, stating that drug procurement should remain under the purview of registered pharmacists as specified in the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act of 2022. Minjibir urged the Ministry to immediately withdraw the new SOPs to avoid further conflict within the sector.
In addition to these demands, JOHESU is also pushing for: The reconstitution of governing boards for federal health institutions. Implementation of approved allowances for Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree holders. Restoration of funding for the Environmental Health Regulatory Council
JOHESU’s leadership then called on the Federal Government to address these pressing issues promptly. Minjibir stressed that without substantial progress, Nigeria’s healthcare sector could face prolonged disruptions, significantly impacting patient care and the overall health system.
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