Health workers, under the auspices of the Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA), have declared a seven-day nationwide warning strike commencing at midnight on October 25.

The national president, JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the end of the unions’ expanded national executive council (NEC) hybrid meeting in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Minjibir regretted that, thus far, the unions were yet to get any positive response from the federal government on some of the critical issues raised in spite of repeated assurances during meetings with the relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

“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.

“Nigerians should note that this action would have been avoided if the federal government had, within the window of the 15-day notice of strike or ultimatum, responded by utilising all options available in the relevant provisions of the Trade Disputes Act Cap. T8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to apprehend this dispute of rights.

“JOHESU is always committed to the use of the instrumentality of social dialogue to resolve matters affecting the welfare and working conditions of members.

”We shall, therefore, keep all our channels of communication open during this period,” he said.

It would be recalled that the unions issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government on October 10, 2024, to address the issues or risk of total shutdown of its operations in hospitals nationwide.

The workers were demanding the immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, immediate payment of 25 per cent CONHESS review arrears (June – December 2023), and immediate payment of nine (9) months (January – September 2024) salary to workers of regulatory agencies.

Other demands are the immediate restoration of funding to the Environmental Health Regulatory Council and the immediate reconstitution of boards/governing councils of federal health institutions.

They are also demanding the commencement of the process to upward review the retirement age of health workers through the federal ministry of health and social welfare to the federal executive council.

Other issues under contention included a tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances and immediate payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances to omitted health workers.

They are also demanding immediate suspension of planned establishments and activities of the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA).

Also, JOHESU is demanding the withdrawal of the unlawful Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as well as the full implementation of approved entry points, call duty and other allowances for holders of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).

Members of JOHESU affiliate unions are from the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).

Others are the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

(NAN)