The Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, has announced plans to picket the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as part of its ongoing nationwide strike. The action, scheduled for Wednesday, aims to press the government to address the unions’ demands.
The strike, which began on November 15, 2025, involves various healthcare professional associations and is a response to the government’s alleged neglect of critical issues affecting health workers. The unions have criticized the government’s failure to implement the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure and address long-standing welfare and systemic challenges facing health workers across the country.
JOHESU is an umbrella body representing several health sector unions, including the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals. The union’s National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, confirmed that members from various hospitals had already gathered at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
According to Egbanubi, the union has held two meetings with government representatives since the strike commenced, but both meetings ended without a resolution. He stated that the government has not taken any concrete action to address the unions’ concerns since the meetings. The picketing is the latest development in the ongoing industrial action, which has significant implications for the country’s healthcare system.
The strike has brought attention to the challenges faced by health workers in Nigeria, including issues related to salary structures, welfare, and working conditions. The government’s response to the strike will be closely watched, as it seeks to address the concerns of the health sector unions and mitigate the impact of the strike on healthcare services. With the picketing planned, the situation is likely to escalate unless a resolution is reached soon.
