The Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, has announced the suspension of its nationwide strike, bringing an end to the industrial action after 84 days.
The decision was reached at the conclusion of an expanded emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, held in Abuja on Friday, February 6.
According to JOHESU, the meeting was convened to assess the outcome of the conciliation talks between the union and the federal government, which took place on Thursday at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
In a communiqué released after the meeting, the union explained that the suspension of the strike was to “allow for the implementation of the FG-JOHESU Terms of Settlements”.
The development follows weeks of negotiations and pressure from various stakeholders over the prolonged shutdown of health services across federal health institutions nationwide.
The industrial action, which began in November and entered its 84th day on Friday, had severely disrupted services in government-owned hospitals nationwide.
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Many public health facilities were either partially or completely shut, leaving patients without access to essential medical care and forcing others to turn to private hospitals.
JOHESU represents health professionals working in pharmacies, medical laboratories, and other allied and support services within the public health sector.
The union has consistently insisted that the strike would not be called off until the Federal Government implemented the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS, which was submitted in 2021.
The prolonged strike also drew wider labour attention, prompting the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to issue a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government in solidarity with the striking health workers.
With the suspension of the strike, activities are expected to gradually resume in public hospitals across the country, as JOHESU members await the full implementation of the agreed terms.