Dayo Oyewo, Peter Dada, Adeyinka Adedipe, Abiodun Nejo, Bola Bamigbola, and John Charles
The third month of the Joint Health Sector Unions’ protracted strike has severely disrupted operations in Nigeria’s government-owned hospitals, leaving patients stranded and compelling them to seek necessary services outside of public health institutions.
Now in its third month, the industrial action has grounded vital services, particularly in hospital pharmacy, laboratories, and other support departments, greatly impacting healthcare delivery.
Health professionals in state-owned hospitals in the states of Ekiti and Benue have mostly continued to work despite the industrial action’s significant disruption of federal health facilities, lessening the impact on patients.
Simultaneously, resident physicians, nurses, and midwives at certain state hospitals, such the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, have started independent industrial activities, alleging concerns with pensions, unpaid pay, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Physicians and nurses were on duty at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Ido Ekiti, but other medical personnel did not show up.
Ayodeji Ogunrinu, the former chairman of FETHI JOHESU and the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals’ Ekiti State Council, said that the health workers’ more than two and a half-month strike was regrettable.
“It has deprived many, not just members of the communities, but also members of staff who ordinarily would have received medical services to save their lives,” Ogunrinu stated. That is why I stated it is extremely unfortunate.”
“Even the cleaner, even a health assistant, they are all very important,” the JOHESU leader added, emphasizing the value of every employee’s services in any healthcare center. I am aware of their duties because I work in physiotherapy.
He bemoaned that FETHI now looked like a ghost town, without water, electricity, pharmaceuticals, laboratories and other critical services, adding that it would be difficult for any individual or medical professional to accept a patient.
Ogunrinu recommended that the Federal Government adopt the Federal Ministry of Labor’s 2018 circular regarding the modification of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale for JOHESU members, which is the root of the current strike that started in late 2025.
Speaking on the strike, the JOHESU Acting Chairman at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Adewale Adeosun, said members at the hospital were not on strike as a token of honour for the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
“If you come to EKSUTH now, it is just like a market,” Adeosun remarked in reference to the state-owned tertiary health institution’s reaction to the JOHESU strike at federal health institutions. Patients’ turnout has increased. Every other patient who was supposed to visit the government hospitals is now visiting EKSUTH.
The chairman of EKSUTH JOHESU stated that joining the strike would be unfair because the state’s Oyebanji administration has done a lot for EKSUTH.
Oluwafemi Ajoloko, the State Chairman of JOHESU, expressed optimism that within the next week or two, the Federal Government would grant members’ request for an increase in CONHESS.
Health workers at state-owned hospitals and primary health centers continued to work while those at federal institutions went on strike, according to Ajoloko, who also pointed out that the industrial action had increased the burden of staff at the state-owned facilities.
The PUNCH saw a clear slowdown in operations at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife. Some medical professionals, who wished to remain anonymous because they were not permitted to remark, claimed that no significant services had been provided since the start of the strike.
The doctors also reported that the strike was having significant consequences on the training of medical workers, noting the patients slated for surgery since early November 2025 had not been attended to.
According to Abdullateef Adeyeni, the JOHESU chairman of the OAUTHC chapter, the hospital has already lost close to N1.5 billion in internally generated revenue as a result of the industrial action.
In an interview with one of our journalists, Adeyeni also charged Prof. Ai Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, with being indifferent to the union’s demands.
In addition to the loss of income, the labor leader claimed that all facility operations had been halted.
“Our Chief Medical Director was saying the hospital has lost a lot. According to him, the hospital has been losing at least N500 million every month. Thus, in just three months, OAUTH has lost up to N1.5 billion due to this strike.
The agony of the patients is the most irritating aspect of it. “The federal government has been unresponsive,” he declared.
The PUNCH said that the continuing strike in Ondo State resulted in minimal patient traffic at public hospitals.
Once a hive of patients and their families, the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Akure, the state capital, had considerably fewer patients after the strike, according to a visit.
Only doctors and consultants were spotted working, while the offices of JOHESU workers, as well as the laboratory, pharmacy, and register, were locked.
Additionally, it was discovered that a large number of patients who had not received adequate care at the government facility had transferred to private hospitals.
Mrs. Remilekun Ayebo, a patient, stated that she only went to the government hospital to see her doctor since she had been receiving care at a private facility.
The strike, according to Dr. Olufunmilayo Dada of the National Association of Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Center, Owo, has not had a major impact on the services provided by the hospital’s physicians.
“Yes, the strike is still going on, but our services are unaffected. “We are carrying out our duties,” Dada said.
The head of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Olumuyiwa Alonge, said that the industrial action by health workers hindered the normal operation of doctors’ services.
“At every stage of medical work, every health worker has a role.” For instance, now, the laboratory personnel are not working, which means one has to take blood samples elsewhere for testing. The same applies to pharmacists. In the hospital, everyone has a vital duty to play.
“Though we are working, it is not as smooth as it used to be when everyone was at work,” Alonge remarked.
A visit to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital on Saturday indicated that services were practically halted.
The hospital was spotted functioning at minimum capacity, with pharmacy and laboratories closed.
“Nothing is working,” remarked a staff member who wished to remain anonymous.
Abdulazeez, an officer of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, UBTH chapel, voiced his dissatisfaction with the government’s tardy response.
He claimed the strike meant to highlight the situation of JOHESU members, not to penalize patients.
“As of right now, there is no indication that the strike will stop. To investigate the issue, the President appointed a commission led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. They were expected to report back to the President after meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The NLC and the administration have not met while the President was in Turkey last week. The NLC and the TUC got engaged in December. Both bodies are also part of the negotiations.
Additionally, many committees were established at various levels, although the Federal Government’s committee takes precedence over all others. Unfortunately, no meeting has taken place recently.
“Patients and hospital operations have been impacted by the strike, but we don’t want them to suffer.” For twelve years, we have been dealing with this problem,” he stated.
On Friday, a visit to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja revealed that the fee-paying pharmacy was closed and the laboratory section was essentially closed. As a result of the interruption, numerous patients were observed buying medications from private pharmacies.
A hospital staff member, commenting on condition of anonymity, indicated that services had been substantially cut since the strike began.
“Before the strike, the pharmacy operated 24 hours daily, including weekends. But now, they just open in the morning and close by 4 pm, and they don’t come at all on weekends,” the staff member said.
A relative of a patient complained that the strike stopped him from donating blood for his cousin.
“I wanted to donate blood for my cousin who was admitted here, but when I got to the laboratory, there were no staff members to bleed me or screen the blood. “I was forced to go outside and buy blood,” he remarked.
At Alimosho General Hospital, where the pharmacy provided only skeletal services, similar interruptions were noted.
In the absence of JOHESU members, a large portion of the workload is currently managed by local employees and interns, according to Dr. Gbolahan Adenuga, chairman of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors.
Because of the strike, local employees and interns are now handling the task.
“Of course, there are glitches and delays because of the strike. Two people are now doing what ten were meant to do,” Adenuga continued.
However, the JOHESU Benue State chapter chairman, Benjamin Ioryem, said the union was not on strike in the state.
In an interview with our correspondent over the weekend, Ioryem stated that of the nine difficulties facing the state, eight were internal, and the ninth one, which involved the state administration, was already getting attention.
We are not on strike in Benue State because hospital administration is one of our problems. Out of the nine difficulties, eight are internal, such as wage deficits, claims, and promotions, which management has decided to handle.
“The 18-month salary arrears for physicians and nurses, which are before the governor, are the only significant problem with the government. We have struck an arrangement with management and government, thus in Benue, we are not on strike.”
However, health service in the state has been largely grounded due to continuous strikes by nurses, midwives, and resident doctors at the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
The National Association of Nurses and Midwives’ state chairman, Mr. Tahav Kershio, stated that members had been on strike for nearly ten weeks due to a number of issues, including being kicked out of the contributory pension plan, a lack of workers, delayed promotions, dilapidated buildings, denial of leave grants, and unpaid salaries.
Similarly, the Association of Resident Doctors at the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, had been on strike since November 1, 2025, due to unpaid wage arrears, pension deductions without remittance, and substandard infrastructure, according to the chairman, Dr Pededoo Kawen.
When contacted, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, the Commissioner for Health, stated that some of the issues brought up by the unions were already being addressed by the government.
“As I speak now, I can tell you authoritatively that the affected unions will suspend the strike at any moment.
“We have been interacting with them, and the main problem—the government’s unpaid 18-month increments—has been resolved.
“We are about to sign an agreement so that they can return to work and provide maximum health care delivery,” he said.
