Health workers’ strike disrupts services across public hospitals

Fortune Eromonsele, Zainab Adewale and Oluwakemi Adelagun

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Public hospitals across Nigeria have recorded widespread disruptions in healthcare services following the continued nationwide strike by health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

JOHESU commenced the strike over the federal government’s failure to implement the long-delayed adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).

On 4 November, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the union issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government, accusing it of insensitivity and discrimination in handling the welfare concerns of non-physician health workers despite multiple agreements and presidential assurances.

JOHESU said the dispute centres on the government’s refusal to adjust CONHESS in line with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors, which has been reviewed several times since 2014.

The union said the issue had featured in several negotiation rounds, including a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2024 and commitments made after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in June 2023.

Following the expiration of the ultimatum without a positive response, JOHESU declared an indefinite nationwide strike in mid-November.

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On 9 December, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the union extended the strike, accusing the federal government of deliberately stalling the issuance of the enabling circular and salary table required to activate the adjusted CONHESS, despite conciliation meetings held with government officials.

The industrial action has left many patients struggling to access basic care.

To assess the impact of the strike on patients and hospital operations, PREMIUM TIMES visited major public hospitals in Abuja and Lagos on Monday.

Disruptions at LASUTH

At the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), patients reported difficulty accessing essential services, particularly at the pharmacy and records units.

**Paul Igbede, an outpatient waiting in the hospital corridor for his wife to get his drugs outside LASUTH**

“I can’t get drugs,” said Paul Igbede, a physically challenged man who waited in the corridor of the Outpatient Department (OPD) while his wife went outside the hospital to purchase prescribed medication.

Although he said a doctor attended to him, Mr Igbede could not obtain the drugs from the hospital pharmacy.

“When we came in, the records were locked. That was the only missing point. Every other unit was active,” he said.

He appealed to the Lagos State governor to respond appropriately to the demands of the striking workers.

Similarly, a woman who identified herself only as a retired nurse said she observed that the records unit was shut but was still attended to after being asked to fill a form manually.

However, after her consultation at the Orthopaedic Clinic, she could not access her prescribed drugs due to the strike.

At the pharmacy unit, a handful of people stood outside hoping to buy drugs before security personnel informed them that the unit had shut down.

“The pharmacy is not open. They are on strike,” a security officer told this reporter.

Not all patients were affected. Atinuke Ogunsote said her uncle’s week-long admission was not disrupted.

“No hiccups,” she said.

Similarly, Festus Osunde, an outpatient at the Eye Clinic, said he was attended to and given another appointment.

Quiet atmosphere at Maitama District Hospital

At about noon on Monday, Maitama District Hospital, Abuja which is usually bustling with activity, was largely quiet.

The General Outpatient Department (GOPD) was mostly empty, with no queues of patients, no consultations taking place and minimal staff movement across departments.

Hospital staff attributed the situation to the ongoing strike, which they said had shut down most services.

At the Immunisation and Nursing Unit, a woman said she was not seeking medical care but had come to collect her child’s birth certificate.

At the hospital’s reception, a staff member who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that although some doctors were present, patients could not access them due to the absence of JOHESU workers.

She said health workers under JOHESU handle critical entry-point services such as patient records and card retrieval.

“The first point of contact for patients is their card. Without record officers, patients cannot be registered or cleared to see doctors,” she said.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that the records office was shut, with dust visible on the counters and windows.

Another staff member confirmed that only emergency services were partially operational.

Services shut at Wuse District Hospital

The situation at Wuse District Hospital, Abuja was more severe, with the premises appearing almost deserted at the time of the visit.

Consultation rooms were locked, corridors were dim due to lack of electricity and there were no healthcare workers in sight.

A young man who accompanied an elderly relative said they received limited care only because they had come specifically for eye treatment.

Beyond that, the hospital appeared largely non-functional.

Patients struggle to access care at National Hospital

At the National Hospital, Abuja, patients were seen pleading with staff to access care as most clinical services remained shut.

PREMIUM TIMES reporter, who posed as a patient, observed the rowdy environment at the GOPD, where only the records section was partially operational.

One woman said her hospital card was already with staff and that patients had to be “lucky” to be called.

She explained that patients often struggled through the crowd to ensure their cards were submitted.

Another patient, a man referred from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, was seen begging staff to attend to him after being asked to return to the referring hospital.

Despite explaining that FMC Jabi was far and that he had been formally referred, he was turned away as staff said services were unavailable due to the strike.

JOHESU responds

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Martin Egbanubi, the national secretary of JOHESU, said efforts were ongoing on both sides to resolve the dispute.

Mr Egbanubi said a committee had been set up to address the concerns of health workers, with the involvement of the leadership, including President Bola Tinubu.

Responding to concerns that patients bear the brunt of industrial actions, he said the crisis affects everyone, including health workers.

READ ALSO: Health workers extend nationwide strike, accuse FG of stalling salary adjustment

He said health workers do not receive special treatment and still depend on the same public hospitals when they require care, noting that only those who can afford treatment abroad are shielded from the system’s failures.

He stressed that sustained engagement was necessary to achieve lasting reforms in the healthcare sector.

JOHESU comprises the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).