• Vows to prosecute any person who assaults or threatens health workers
• Promises to pay outstanding wage award before mid-August

Federal Government has directed the immediate implementation of measures to strengthen the protection of health workers nationwide.

To this end, Federal Tertiary Health Institutions have been directed to strengthen their internal security arrangements, establish Violence Prevention Teams and improve access control, surveillance, visitor identification and security within emergency units and other sensitive service areas.

This followed the submission of the report of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel.

The Committee was constituted on May 19, 2026, following the incident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom State, involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and members of the hospital workforce, which disrupted clinical services and triggered industrial action.

A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, observed that no grievance, disagreement or official assignment constitutes lawful justification for violence against a health worker or interference with the delivery of healthcare stressing that existing laws would be enforced, offenders held to account, and all lawful measures will be taken to secure health facilities, protect health workers and safeguard uninterrupted patient care.

Kachollom noted that in carrying out its assignment, the Committee reviewed reports from Federal Tertiary Health Institutions and consulted relevant professional, regulatory, security and human rights bodies.

She observed that the Committee found that the Uyo incident was not isolated, adding that 18 incidents of assault, intimidation or harassment were reported across federal tertiary health institutions within the preceding 12 months, involving patients, relatives, members of the public and security personnel.

According to her, the reported incidents resulted in bodily injury, psychological harm, damage to hospital property, disruption of services and industrial action.

Kachollom pointed out that poor communication, prolonged waiting times, inadequate staffing, deficient infrastructure, emotional distress, abuse of authority and the absence of clear security protocols were identified as contributory factors.

The statement read: “Upon receiving the report, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, accepted the Committee’s recommendations and directed their immediate implementation in accordance with the accompanying action plan”.

The statement noted that any person who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or harasses a health worker shall be investigated and, where the evidence so warrants, prosecuted under the applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, adding that the absence of a specific law relating solely to violence against health workers should not preclude enforcement under existing criminal, civil or administrative laws.

It added that sanctions, compensation and other remedies available under the law shall be pursued in appropriate cases.

According to the statement, each institution is expected to designate officers to liaise with Law Enforcement Agencies, while security operations within hospital premises must be conducted in a manner that does not endanger patients, obstruct treatment, breach confidentiality or interrupt essential health services.

MEANWHILE, the Federal Government has assured public servants that the outstanding wage award will be paid before the middle of August, while promotion arrears are being processed as part of ongoing efforts to fulfil its commitments to workers.

The assurance was given during a meeting between the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Trade Side, led by its National President, Kabiru Minjibir.

A statement issued yesterday by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie, said the minister noted that the government had already begun addressing many of the issues raised by the council even before receiving its formal communication.

According to the statement, the minister reiterated the administration’s commitment to resolving legitimate labour concerns through constructive engagement.

Earlier, JPSNC President, Kabiru Minjibir, commended the minister for meeting with the delegation and appealed for the speedy resolution of outstanding labour issues, including the wage award, promotion arrears, salary relativity concerns affecting health workers and other matters impacting public servants.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with organised labour to ensure approved workers’ entitlements are processed and released without avoidable delays.