Health workers’ strike grounds hospitals

Health minister, Pate

The ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions has entered the third month, crippling activities in government-owned hospitals across Nigeria, leaving patients stranded and forcing many to seek essential services outside public health facilities.

Now in its third month, the industrial action has grounded critical services, particularly in hospital pharmacies, laboratories, and other support departments, significantly disrupting healthcare delivery.

While the industrial action has severely disrupted federal health institutions, health workers in state-owned hospitals in Ekiti and Benue states have largely remained on duty, mitigating the impact on patients.

At the same time, resident doctors, nurses, and midwives in some state facilities, such as the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, have embarked on separate industrial actions, citing unpaid salaries, pension issues, and dilapidated infrastructure.

At the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, medical doctors and nurses were seen at their posts; however, other health workers stayed away.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, Ekiti State Council, and the immediate past FETHI JOHESU Chairman, Ayodeji Ogunrinu, stated that the over two and a half months’ strike by the health workers was unfortunate.

Ogunrinu said, “It has deprived many, not just members of the communities, but also members of staff who ordinarily would have received medical services to save their lives. That is why I said it is very unfortunate.”

The JOHESU leader emphasised that the services of all workers in any health facility were important, adding that, “Even the cleaner, even a health assistant, they are all very important. I’m in Physiotherapy, so I know the roles they play.”

He lamented that FETHI now looked like a ghost town, without water, electricity, drugs, laboratories and other essential services, adding that it would be difficult for any person or medical officer to admit a patient.

Ogunrinu advised the Federal Government to implement the content of the 2018 circular from the Federal Ministry of Labour, which concerns the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale for JOHESU members, the basis of the ongoing strike that began in late 2025.

Speaking on the strike, the JOHESU Acting Chairman at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Adewale Adeosun, said members at the facility were not on strike as a mark of honour for the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.

Adeosun, addressing the impact of the JOHESU strike at federal health facilities on the state-owned tertiary health institution, said, “If you come to EKSUTH now, it is just like a market. Patients’ turnout has increased. All the other patients who were meant to go to the federal hospitals are now coming to EKSUTH.”

The EKSUTH JOHESU chairman said the Oyebanji administration in the state had done a lot for EKSUTH, and it would be unfair to join the strike.

The JOHESU State Chairman, Oluwafemi Ajoloko, expressed hope that the Federal Government would accede to members’ request for an upward adjustment of CONHESS within the next one or two weeks. Punch