The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has signaled the possibility of a renewed nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to implement agreed salary adjustments by April. The warning was issued by Dr. Bassey Icha, JOHESU Chairman in Cross River State, during an interview in Calabar on Tuesday.

The threat comes shortly after the union suspended a nationwide strike that had lasted from November 15, 2025, to February 6, following intervention by the union’s national leadership. Health workers have since resumed duties across the country after conducting internal congresses in their various units and branches.

Dr. Icha explained that the strike was primarily triggered by the government’s failure to review the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), introduced in 2009 without any upward adjustment. While doctors under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) have received multiple salary reviews over the years, other health professionals have been left behind, widening pay disparities within the sector.

“JOHESU is not demanding salary parity with doctors but is seeking a fair review of CONHESS in line with existing government salary templates,” Icha stated. He also noted that several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed between the union and the Federal Government since 2014, including a 2021 submission to the Budget Office, remain unimplemented.

The union had agreed to suspend its strike after the Federal Government requested more time, promising that all necessary approvals would be concluded by April. Icha warned, however, that failure to achieve positive outcomes by the end of the month would leave JOHESU with no option but to resume industrial action.

Highlighting broader concerns, Icha noted that Nigerian health workers earn less than their counterparts in other West African countries, such as Ghana. He also called on the Federal Government to prioritise the training of health workers, modernize medical equipment, and improve working conditions to enhance healthcare delivery nationwide.