Posted on: Mon 24-03-2025

 

As tensions rise in Nigeria’s health sector, will the federal government fulfill the demands of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) to maintain industrial harmony?

Following a recent meeting that coincided with a courtesy visit by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, JOHESU reiterated its demands, emphasizing the need for full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government on October 29, 2024.

What Are the Key Demands?

The communiqué, signed by JOHESU’s National Chairman, Comrade Dr. Kabiru Ado Minjibir, and National Secretary, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, outlined several pressing issues, including:

• Implementation of CONHESS Adjustment and payment of seven months of CONHESS Review arrears (June–December 2023).
• Reconstitution of Boards/Governing Councils of Federal Health Institutions (FHIs) and Health Professionals’ Regulatory Agencies.
• Implementation of the Consultant Cadre for Pharmacists in FHIs.
• Increase in the retirement age for health workers from 60 to 65 years and 70 years for healthcare professional consultants, as well as 35-40 years in service for all categories of health workers, similar to what applies in universities and the judiciary.

With these demands in place, is the government willing to meet them, or will industrial unrest be inevitable?

What Controversies Surround the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA)?

JOHESU has also called for the suspension of the planned establishment of the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA), which is currently being promoted by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Additionally, the union is demanding the withdrawal of the unlawful Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the ministry. Could these policies lead to further disputes within the healthcare sector?

How Will Compensation and Fair Treatment Be Addressed?

Beyond structural reforms, JOHESU is demanding:

• Payment of call duty allowances to healthcare professionals.
• Consequential adjustment of all allowances linked to the CONHESS Basic Salary in line with the National Minimum Wage Act, 2024.
• Equal treatment of all healthcare professionals to end unfair practices.
• Regular consultations with JOHESU on welfare, employment conditions, and sector-wide policies in adherence to social dialogue principles.

What Happens Next?

With these demands laid out, will the Nigerian government act swiftly to prevent disruptions in the health sector? Or will the failure to meet these conditions trigger industrial action that could impact millions of Nigerians?

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