Nigerian health workers end strike: union

Nigerian health workers have called off a six-week strike over pay and conditions that paralysed services in state-run hospitals and health centres, a union leader said on Friday.

“We have suspended the strike because of the sympathy the unions have for the suffering Nigerian masses and also to pave way for further negotiations,” the chairman of the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU), Biobelemoye Josiah, told AFP.

“All the striking workers have been directed to return to their duty posts by Monday 4th June,” he said.

The decision to resume work followed the intervention of Senate president Bukola Saraki, who is also a trained medical doctor.

He promised to raise a parliamentary committee to mediate in the row with the government.

JOHESU comprises pharmacists, nurses, laboratory technologists and other paramedics in the public health sector, except doctors and dentists.

They walked out on April 18 over demands for pay parity with doctors and improved welfare.