Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have warned that they may embark on a fresh industrial action if the Federal Government continues to delay the long-awaited adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The warning was issued on Tuesday during the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, where union leaders expressed concern over the protracted dispute.
JOHESU National Chairman and President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Kabiru Minjibir, said the unresolved salary issue has persisted for more than a decade despite repeated engagements with the government, warning that workers may be compelled to act if the impasse continues.
He said the development could disrupt healthcare services across the country if not urgently addressed.
Minjibir explained that the dispute stems from a 2016 agreement intended to ensure parity between different health sector salary structures. According to him, while salaries under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors have been reviewed upward on three occasions, a corresponding adjustment has not been extended to other health professionals under CONHESS.
He noted that the disparity has fuelled long-standing grievances within the sector.
According to him, “when the two salary structures were released in 2016, there was a clause that once one is reviewed upward, the other should follow automatically,” but the agreement has yet to be fully implemented.
Minjibir said the matter has remained unresolved despite several engagements with government officials over the years.
He recalled that JOHESU embarked on an 84-day strike last year after issuing an ultimatum to the Federal Government over the issue.
According to him, the industrial action led to meetings involving the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement, he said, provided that the salary adjustment would be concluded on or before April 2026.
However, Minjibir noted that the commitment has not been fulfilled, warning that frustration is mounting among health workers nationwide, with growing calls for the issuance of a fresh ultimatum.
He appealed to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations without further delay, stressing that equity demands that the same adjustments granted to doctors should also apply to other health professionals.
“The same adjustment should be extended to other health workers in the interest of justice and fairness,” he said.
Minjibir further warned that inadequate remuneration could undermine productivity in the health sector, stressing that workers cannot be expected to deliver optimal performance without adequate motivation.
“If health workers’ remuneration is not improved, the government should not expect productivity,” he said, adding that patients are often the ultimate victims whenever industrial disputes lead to service disruptions.
Responding to suggestions that non-physician health workers are merely seeking to replicate doctors’ benefits, Minjibir dismissed the notion, insisting that each profession performs distinct responsibilities and deserves equitable compensation.
He stressed that effective healthcare delivery depends on collaboration among all professionals and maintained that JOHESU’s demands are rooted in fairness rather than competition.
The union leader reiterated that addressing the long-standing pay disparity is critical to preserving industrial harmony, improving employee morale, and ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare services across the country.
Below are polished versions of the stories, edited to reflect the standards of a professional HR-focused publication.
