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JOHESU Strike: Abuja hospitals record partial compliance

Partial compliance has been observed in Abuja hospitals as the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) continues its seven-day warning strike.
The strike began on October 25, 2024, and as at October 28, 2014, reports disclosed that there is no full compliance in Abuja hospitals.
The strike aims to press home the union’s demands, including the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists, and upward review of retirement age, as reported.
JOHESU comprises various unions, including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions, and Associated Institutions, and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.
The union notified the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Muhammad Pate, of the strike on October 9, stating that their demands must be met to avoid the strike.
The strike started from midnight of Friday, October 25, 2024.
Report disclosed that it was aimed at pressing home their demands.
Some of these demands 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 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for consultants.
- 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.
Despite the strike, health workers at the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja were reported to be attending to patients, although many were reported as locum staff.
The Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria at the FMC Abuja branch, Mr. Aaron Okonofua, confirmed partial compliance due to the hospital management not being formally notified over the weekend.
“There is partial compliance for now because you can see that I am just signing the letter of commencement of the seven-day strike to the management.
“I was supposed to do it last Friday and my secretary was not around for me to get a letterhead to inform the management officially.
“But, we promise that we will do our best to ensure that we comply from this afternoon”, Mr. Okonofua stated.
At the National Hospital, Abuja, patients were also being attended to.
But uncertainty remained about whether workers would continue attending to them tomorrow (Tuesday).
A patient who identified herself as Martha Ugwu said: “They’re attending to us, and it’s a good thing, but I’m not sure they will attend to patients tomorrow from the look of things”.
A medical laboratory scientist who pleaded anonymous because he was not authorised to comment, attributed the partial compliance to the timing of the strike announcement.
He said: “The strike was declared over the weekend, and not many people are aware and the management of the hospital needs to be properly informed.
“But from tomorrow (Tuesday), you will see that we will not be here.
“This is like the first day of the strike for us, but from tomorrow you will notice full compliance, even some of my colleagues will leave by noon”, he added.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of JOHESU, Mr. Martin Egbanubi, disclosed that the Federal Government has informally reached out to the unions.
But he emphasized that no official communication has occurred yet, as reported.
Egbanubi stated: “The Federal Government has reached out to us informally for an engagement, but nothing has been made official yet.
“We need a formal letter or invitation if they want to engage us for a meeting,” he said.
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