Healthcare workers in Lagos State have announced plans to embark on a three-day warning strike from Wednesday, December 11 to Friday, December 13, 2024, if their demands for salary adjustments are not met.
The strike, which will involve members of key health worker unions, including the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), follows mounting frustration over the government’s failure to address their concerns.
In letters sent to both their members and the Lagos State Head of Service, the unions outlined their grievances, accusing the state government of neglecting their demands for the full implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
They emphasized the disparity in the implementation of the salary adjustment, with doctors having received the increase while other healthcare professionals have been left out.
JOHESU, in its letter, described the government’s selective salary adjustment as a “divisive approach” that undermines the morale of the entire healthcare workforce.
The union stressed that despite their crucial roles in providing quality healthcare services to Lagos residents, the state government has been unresponsive to their repeated appeals for fair compensation.
“The government’s indifference to our legitimate demands is deeply disappointing. This unequal treatment is affecting the collective spirit of healthcare professionals in Lagos,” JOHESU’s letter stated.
Meanwhile, NUAHP expressed similar concerns over the delay in implementing the promised 25% CONHESS adjustment for non-doctor healthcare workers, urging the state government to address the issue urgently.
The unions noted that despite several meetings and letters to government officials, their appeals have gone unanswered. As a result, healthcare workers are prepared to move forward with their strike if the situation remains unresolved.
A joint congress meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 9, 2024, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where union leaders will discuss next steps and issue further instructions to their members.
