….Whereas sufferers’ pockets bleed, public hospitals lose income because the strike enters its third month
On January 30, 2026, Favour Nwaso (not her real name), a 28-year-old girl battling ovarian cysts and fibroids, was in extreme ache when she visited the College School Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. After consulting a senior medical specialist, she was knowledgeable that she would wish surgical procedure.
Nevertheless, Nwaso’s scenario took a distressing flip when the physician defined that important hospital providers, together with laboratory exams, pharmacy, radiology, and emergency items,weren’t purposeful because of the ongoing JOHESU strike. In consequence, the process must be outsourced to a personal well being facility, the place she would pay greater than double the unique price.
Overwhelmed by the information, Nwaso returned residence dejected, figuring out she must wait longer to boost funds for remedy at a personal hospital.
“I’m in severe ache, however in the mean time I can’t afford the payments at a personal facility. I’ve to supply for extra funds, which suggests ready even longer,” she stated.
In a associated incident, a person on X (previously Twitter), @popoolaadaniel, who recognized himself as a medical physician, recounted how an accident sufferer who can also be a high-profile safety personnel, misplaced his life attributable to non-functional hospital providers in Plateau State.
“A high-profile safety company crew was concerned in a ghastly highway accident while on duty in Plateau State, leading to a number of casualties. One of many officers was rushed to the emergency unit in essential situation. Nevertheless, there was no oxygen, no pharmacy providers, no blood financial institution, and no laboratory personnel to assist resuscitate him because of the JOHESU strike,” Popoola wrote.
“In an try to resuscitate the officer, intravenous fluids needed to be sourced from exterior the hospital. Sadly, by the point determined preparations had been made, it was already too late, and the officer later died,” he added.
These incidents underscore a decades-long disaster in Nigeria’s well being sector, the place healthcare professionals grapple with poor remuneration, inadequately geared up services, and weak emergency response methods, challenges which have culminated within the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), now in its third month, having begun on November 14, 2025.
Elevated fatalities because of the strike
JOHESU has reported elevated fatality charges, larger maternal mortality and morbidity, in addition to vital income losses inside the final 80 days because of the continued strike.In a vital dialog with Kabiru Minjibir, nationwide president of JOHESU, the affiliation shared alarming statistics linked to the strike with this reporter.
“Maternal mortality has elevated by about 23 p.c, morbidity by over 18.5 p.c, whereas fatalities have risen to an alarming 16.75 p.c within the final 80 days,” Minjibir stated.“I’m certain you’re accustomed to the avoidable demise of an harmless Nigerian attributable to a snake chew a number of days in the past on the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja. This is only one amongst many instances,” he added.
Abdulazeez Olumoyo, JOHESU president, College of Benin Educating Hospital (UBTH) chapter, additionally highlighted different challenges presently affecting hospitals.“I can inform you for certain that hospitals are working far under capability because of the strike, and there’s no finish in sight,” he famous.
The affiliation additionally projected over N650 billion in internally generated income (IGR) losses nationwide, alongside poor hospital waste administration, as main penalties of the strike.“Healthcare providers are in limbo and have virtually collapsed, at the same time as authorities fake all is nicely. Even inpatient providers are not sustainable as a result of the personnel who help essential care,together with medical waste evacuation,are unavailable,” Minjibir stated.
Causes for the strike
JOHESU launched into an indefinite strike on November 14, 2025, following the suspension of an earlier warning strike, over long-standing unmet calls for by the federal authorities.
Based on Felix Odusanya, president of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy and a JOHESU member, the dispute stems from deep-rooted disparities in remuneration and circumstances of service.
“JOHESU wage construction (CONHESS) has not been reviewed since 2014, whereas that of medical medical doctors (CONMESS) has been reviewed 3 times,” Odusanya stated.
“Whereas our workload is similar, there are clear disparities in wage constructions and retirement age between JOHESU members and medical medical doctors,” he added.
Approach ahead
JOHESU leaders say the strike can solely finish if the federal authorities adjusts salaries to match medical medical doctors’, ensuresan equitable retirement age, and addresses different longstanding calls for.
“The one method ahead is a presidential prerogative that provides speedy approval to the demand of JOHESU, which is CONHESS adjustment as performed to CONMESS, to display responsiveness and inclusiveness that should be the hallmark of a multidisciplinary sector just like the well being sector in public curiosity,” stated Minjibir.
“Governments should recognize {that a} well being system is emblematic of an array of strategic staff who’re all germane to attaining the objectives of profitable well being care. The second a fragile stability is struck within the administration of all pursuits on the desk, the well being sector will flourish,” he added.
Different members emphasised that dialogue, relatively than a no-work, no-pay method, is the answer.
“JOHESU forms the backbone of the well being workforce. They’re the lab scientists, physiotherapists, anesthetics, pharmacists, psychiatrists and plenty of extra,” stated Stephanie Omoarebun, nationwide secretary of the Younger Medical Laboratory Scientists Discussion board.
“Embracing dialogue is definitely the best option to go, in order to make sure that the strike is named off whereas lifting the burden off of sufferers,” she added.
