The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU) has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address its pending welfare issues or face a resumption of its suspended strike.

The unions outlined several outstanding demands, including the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists, upward review of retirement age, payment of arrears, and tax waivers.

JOHESU said that despite suspending its strike last year following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, the government has failed to address these issues.

The union has warned that if its demands are not met within the 15-day ultimatum, it will resume its strike action on October 25.

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

The memo was signed by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, and National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi.

JOHESU comprises several organisations, including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), the Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions, and Associated Institutions, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASUEAI).

The memo recalled a previous strike from May 19 to June 6, 2023, which was suspended following President Tinubu’s intervention.

The unions’ demands include the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, similar to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since January 2, 2014, implementation of a consultant cadre for pharmacists in Federal Health Institutions, an upward review of the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for consultants, and the payment of JOHESU members in professional regulatory councils.

Other issues listed by the unions are the payment of arrears for the CONHESS review, a tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers, the immediate suspension of the planned establishment and activities of the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA), and the withdrawal of the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures.

“Consequently, arising from the unanimous resolution of the JOHESU Expanded National Executive Council at a hybrid meeting held on October 2, 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 a 15-day ultimatum effective from Thursday, October 10, 2024, and to inform you that from midnight of Friday, October 25, 2024, all our members in the Federal Health Institutions shall embark on a seven-day strike action,” the memo stated.

“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.