The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve its pending welfare issues or its members will embark on an industrial action.

The unions said it will resume its suspended strike on October 25, if its demands are not met.

This was made known in a memo from the unions to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate dated October 9, 2024, and titled, “Notice of 15 days ultimatum and resumption of suspended strike action.”

According to a report by Channelstv, the memo, signed by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, and its National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, highlighted the lingering unresolved issues.

It noted that the issue led to the strike that took place from May 19 to June 6, 2023, but was suspended consequent upon the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

The issues listed by the unions include the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure as was done with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since January 2, 2014, the implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists in Federal Health Institutions, the upward review in the retirement age from 60-65 years for health workers and 70 years for Consultants, the payment of JOHESU members in professional regulatory councils.

Others are the payment of arrears of CONHESS review, the tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, the immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, the immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of National Health Facility Regulatory Agency, and the withdrawal of the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures.

The unions, however, demand the immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, immediate payment of 25 per cent CONHESS review arrears, immediate payment of nine months (January – September 2024) salary to staff of Regulatory Agencies, and immediate restoration of funding to Environmental Health Regulatory Council, immediate reconstitution of Boards/Governing Councils of FHIs, the commencement of the process to upwardly review retirement age of health workers through Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to the Federal Executive Council.

Other demands include tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, immediate suspension of planned establishment and activities of NHFRA, withdrawal of the DRF SOP by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the implementation of approved entry point, call duty and other allowances for holders of Doctor of Pharmacy.

“Consequently, arising from the unanimous resolution of JOHESU Expanded National Executive Council at a hybrid meeting held on 2nd October 2024, and in compliance with the provisions of Section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap.T8 LFN, 2004, JOHESU is constrained to give the Federal Government of Nigeria 15 days ultimatum with effect from Thursday, 10th October 2024, and to inform you that with effect from midnight of Friday, October 25, 2024, all our members in the Federal Health Institutions shall embark on seven days strike action.

“However, if at the end of the seven-day warning strike, the Federal government fails to meet our demands, JOHESU has no other option than to embark on an indefinite strike action.

“Honourable Minister Sir, you will agree with us that JOHESU has always exhibited maturity, selflessness, and patriotism even in the face of extreme provocations and the government’s long delay in meeting these demands of workers under JOHESU and we think that our maturity and patriotism have been taken for granted.

“This 15-day ultimatum is necessitated by the non-response of the Federal Government to the plight of our members, despite our benevolence,” the memo added.

JOHESU is made up of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions, and Associated Institutions, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.