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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide strike after 84 days, following renewed negotiations with the Federal Government aimed at resolving long-standing welfare and salary disputes in the health sector.
The decision was taken at an expanded emergency meeting of JOHESU’s National Executive Council (NEC) held in Abuja on Friday. Union leaders reviewed the outcome of a conciliation meeting with government representatives at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment a day earlier.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, JOHESU said the industrial action was halted to give room for the implementation of agreements reached with the government.
“The strike has been suspended to allow for the implementation of the FG-JOHESU Terms of Settlement reached at the conciliation meeting,” the union stated, adding that the decision was taken in the interest of patients and the health system.
JOHESU explained that the strike was initially embarked upon due to unresolved issues including salary adjustments, payment of outstanding allowances, the review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), and what it described as the continued marginalisation of non-physician health workers.
According to the communiqué, the government “made concrete commitments with specific timelines for the resolution of the union’s outstanding demands,” which informed the suspension of the action.
The union further noted that it had resolved to “closely monitor the implementation process to ensure full compliance with all agreements reached,” warning that failure by the government to honour the terms would attract a renewed response.
“We remain committed to defending the rights and welfare of our members and will not hesitate to take further action should the government renege on its promises,” the statement added.
The prolonged strike had crippled services in public hospitals nationwide, forcing many patients to turn to private health facilities or go without adequate medical care.
With the suspension now in effect, public hospitals and health institutions are expected to resume full operations, offering relief to millions of Nigerians affected by the nearly three-month disruption.