“Joint Health Sector Unions Orders Nationwide Health Strike Amid ‘No Work, No Pay’ Enforcement”

In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing health sector dispute, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has directed its members across federal health institutions to withdraw services indefinitely in protest against the Federal Government’s enforcement of a strict “No Work, No Pay” policy.

The directive, communicated on Saturday, comes after the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare issued a circular instructing Chief Medical Directors and hospital management to suspend salaries for JOHESU members participating in the industrial action.

JOHESU leaders blasted the move as unilateral and disrespectful of workers’ rights, saying the policy was imposed without prior consultation and undermines ongoing efforts to resolve long‑standing grievances, especially delays in implementing the adjusted consolidated health salary structure (CONHESS).

The government’s circular also emphasizes the need to keep critical services like emergency, labour, and ICU units operational, including through the engagement of locum staff, despite the strike.

Union officials have urged members to stay calm but firm, warning that the directive could deepen the disruption in public hospitals and strain Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system if not addressed through meaningful dialogue.