Under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, Abuja’s public hospital employees partially complied with their leadership’s order to go on a seven-day warning strike.

The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions, and Associated Institutions, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions comprise JOHESU.

JOHESU informed Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, on October 9 that if its demands were not fulfilled, the strike will resume on October 25.

The strike, which started at midnight on Friday, October 25, 2024, was intended to push home their demands, which included paying JOHESU members in professional regulatory councils, implementing a consultant cadre for chemists in Federal Health Institutions, raising the retirement age for health workers from 60 to 65 and consultants from 70 years, and adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure in the same way that the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure has been adjusted since Janua

Other measures include the payment of CONHESS review arrears, the exemption from taxes on healthcare workers’ benefits, the prompt payment of COVID-19 inducement hazard benefits to excluded healthcare workers, the immediate suspension of the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency’s planned establishment and operations, and the removal of the Drug Revolving Fund Standard Operating Procedures.

The medical staff at the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja were spotted caring for patients when our correspondent went.

However, our reporter learnt that a large number of them are temporary employees.

Because the hospital administration was not formally informed over the weekend, Aaron Okonofua, the chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria at the FMC Abuja branch, stated that there was only limited compliance with the strike.

As you can see, I am only signing the letter to the management announcing the start of the seven-day strike, therefore there is now only partial compliance.

“My secretary wasn’t present when I was supposed to do it last Friday, so I didn’t get a letterhead to formally notify management.” However, we pledge that starting this afternoon, we will make every effort to assure compliance,” Okonofua said.

Additionally, patients were being examined at the National Hospital in Abuja, though it was unclear if staff would continue to care for them on Tuesday.

One patient, who went by the name Martha Ugwu, stated, “I’m not sure they will attend to patients tomorrow from the look of things, but they’re taking care of us, which is a good thing.”

The timing of the strike notification was blamed for the limited compliance, according to a hospital medical laboratory scientist who asked to remain anonymous because he lacked the authority to remark.

“The hospital management needs to be properly informed,” he added, adding that not many people are aware of the strike, which was announced over the weekend.

However, you will see that we won’t be here starting tomorrow, Tuesday. For us, today is similar to the first day of the strike, but starting tomorrow, you will see complete compliance—some of my coworkers will even go before noon.

Martin Egbanubi, the National Secretary of JOHESU, told our reporter that although the Federal Government has communicated with the unions informally, no formal correspondence has yet taken place.

“We have received an informal invitation to engage from the Federal Government, but nothing formal has been issued as of yet.

“If they wish to meet with us, we require a formal letter or invitation,” he stated.