The Digest:
The nationwide strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has entered its third month, severely crippling operations in federal government-owned hospitals across Nigeria. The industrial action has grounded critical services such as pharmacy, laboratory, and support departments, forcing patients to seek care at private or state-owned facilities. While federal institutions are paralysed, some state hospitals in Ekiti and Benue are operational as local JOHESU chapters honour state government agreements. However, separate strikes by resident doctors and nurses in states like Benue compound the crisis. Union leaders cite a 2018 salary adjustment circular as the core grievance and lament massive revenue losses and patient suffering, accusing the federal government of inaction.
Key Points:
- The prolonged strike has created a severe healthcare access crisis, disproportionately affecting citizens who rely on affordable public health services.
- It exposes the fragmented and tiered nature of Nigeria's health system, where state-level negotiations can produce different outcomes from federal deadlock.
- The action highlights systemic issues of wage disparity, underfunding, and poor working conditions plaguing the health sector beyond the current union demands.
- Hospitals are reporting catastrophic financial losses (e.g., OAUTHC cites N1.5bn), jeopardising their operational sustainability and capacity for future service delivery.
- The strike underscores a critical failure in federal-level dialogue and crisis management, with negotiations stalling despite the escalating humanitarian impact.
Sources: The Punch, Premium Times, Vanguard
