By Yemi Olakitan
Health workers in Lagos State have begun a three-day warning strike, starting Wednesday, December 11, 2024, to press for the implementation of adjustments to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The strike, organized by a coalition of health sector unions, aims to address the long-standing issue of the non-implementation of the CONHESS adjustments.
The unions involved in the strike include the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). Oloruntoba Odumosu, Secretary of NANNM, emphasized that the strike would go ahead as planned, following the expiration of an ultimatum issued by the unions.
According to Odumosu, a meeting between union leaders and state government officials on December 9 ended in an impasse, with the government failing to provide a clear timeline for implementing the CONHESS adjustments. This development has left the unions with no choice but to embark on a warning strike.
The strike will affect all state-owned health facilities in Lagos, including the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), general hospitals, and primary health centers (PHCs). Members of the unions include various health professionals, such as nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and medical laboratory scientists.
The Lagos State government has been criticized for its handling of the issue, with the unions accusing the government of being indifferent to their demands. The strike is expected to last from December 11 to December 13, 2024.
