₦airaland Forum

The strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) left patients stranded and government hospitals struggling, with many facilities offering only skeletal services for 84 days.

From locked record offices to partially operating laboratories and pharmacies, the impact was felt nationwide as health workers demanded better welfare, improved working conditions, and the full implementation of long-standing agreements.

In Abuja, patients bore the brunt of the industrial action. Those with health insurance were forced to pay out of pocket because the record officers did not attend to them. Some patients were also asked to buy consumables such as syringes and gloves from private pharmacies, while others were referred to private laboratories for basic diagnostic tests.

A resident of Nyanya, Mary Ogbona, narrated her ordeal after a domestic accident.

She said she was first rushed to Nyanya General Hospital, which referred her to Asokoro General Hospital. Although Asokoro is her designated facility under the health insurance scheme, she said they were told to buy all required consumables from outside because pharmacists were on strike.

According to her, “Thank God a pharmaceutical office in Asokoro was still open. We bought everything there, and it cost us over N50,000. But despite buying those items, I was not attended to. Instead, they referred me to Wuse Hospital.


“When we got to Wuse, they couldn’t attend to us because we needed to buy some things. They were suggesting that we proceed to the National Hospital or the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, all because of the JOHESU strike.”

Another Abuja resident, Rosemary Abah, also shared her experience. Her daughter was about to resume school and complained of stomach pain, prompting her husband to take her for a medical check-up.

However, they were directed to a popular pharmaceutical shop for a malaria test, which cost N15,000, even though they had health insurance coverage at a government hospital. “All the tests recommended were about N80,000,” she said.

At the National Hospital in Abuja, relatives of patients also expressed concern. Victory Odinaka, whose sister was in the ICU, said the strike affected them in several ways.

“Doctors are in the ICU because they are not on strike, but we, relatives of patients, have to assist them with tasks normally handled by other health workers who are currently on strike. It’s unprofessional, but that’s the situation. For lab tests, we have to go outside, although a few tests can still be done here,” he said.

Another patient relative who was referred from a hospital in Keffi, Lawrence Ikeh, said the National Hospital had been doing its best despite the strike.

“We hardly feel the strike here because the management is really putting in effort. However, we were asked to go outside for an MRI because the hospital’s machine is faulty, even though we initially paid for a CT scan that the consultant later changed to an MRI. We still buy drugs here because the pharmacy is open, except for items they don’t have,” he explained.

The spokesperson of the National Hospital, Maajama Adamu, acknowledged that the strike disrupted operations. “Definitely, strikes anywhere disrupt activities, but our comparative advantage is that, in addition to management staff members that do not go on strike, we have a large number of interns undergoing training.

“That is our saving grace. It doesn’t mean the strike isn’t affecting us, but the interns have helped greatly in salvaging the situation,” he said.

JOHESU, which represents non-physician health workers such as laboratory scientists, pharmacists, and other allied professionals, began its nationwide strike on 14 November 2025.

The strike was called off on Friday evening.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in a circular dated 8 January 2026, directed all Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of federal hospitals to enforce the “no work, no pay” rule on JOHESU members beginning January 2026.

The circular, signed by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr Abisola Adegoke, on behalf of the Coordinating Minister, also instructed facility heads to employ “all legal means,” including the use of locum staff, to forestall service disruptions in critical units such as accident and emergency, labour wards, and intensive care units.



Situation of Health Workers’ Strike In Rivers

The strike at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) forced relatives to transfer patients to other health facilities within Port Harcourt, especially the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).

A visit to the UPTH showed that most of the hospital beds were empty, as patients in critical condition had been transferred to other hospitals.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, an inpatient, Mr Nduka John, said he was advised by his children to come to the hospital from his home because his condition had become a bit stable before the commencement of the strike.

Another patient, who requested anonymity, said she chose to remain in the hospital ward because she had no money to transfer to another hospital like other patients.

She, however, said her condition was improving despite the absence of the health workers, as the hospital management had been doing its best to care for her.

UPTH’s chairman of the medical advisory committee, Professor Datonye Alasia, said the hospital has since implemented its strike response protocols to mitigate the impact of the health workers’ action.

Alasia said, “We have a strike response protocol that we implement when any group of workers is on strike. Those protocols have been implemented to mitigate the impact while we anticipate a quick resolution.”



Strike Cripples Services at FMC Yenagoa

The health workers’ strike took a serious toll on healthcare delivery in Bayelsa State, with services at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa operating far below capacity.

A visit to the hospital found it unusually quiet, with many departments shut and patients left waiting for hours without attention.

Several buildings within the hospital were locked, and only a handful of staff members were seen on duty.

Corridors that are usually filled with patients and relatives were largely deserted, while a few patients wandered around wards hoping to be attended to.

Some patients said they arrived as early as 8 a.m. but had yet to see a doctor. Others with scheduled appointments said they were unsure whether they would receive care, as many services appeared to be suspended.

At the Male Surgical Ward, activities had slowed almost to a halt. A nurse on duty confirmed that admissions had stopped days before the strike began.

“You can see that the patients are not here. Some of the patients who are here were discharged before the strike. In this ward, we have only one patient.”

A medical doctor at the hospital, Dr Asala, whose first name was not disclosed, said they were still working but could not offer full services because several key departments were on strike.

According to him, the absence of laboratory workers, pharmacists, theatre workers, and cleaners made effective treatment difficult.

“Doctors are not on strike; it is the other departments that are on strike at the moment. So the hospital is not functioning optimally… We attend to emergencies only. The hospital is open, but you won’t get the maximum care,” he said.

The Public Relations Officer at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Mr Bernard Akpedi, also acknowledged the impact of the strike, noting that FMC Yenagoa is the only federal tertiary health facility in Bayelsa and serves as the state’s main referral centre.

“It’s unfortunate that as a management here, we are not happy about it. When a strike occurs like this, it really affects us negatively,” he said.

The Chairman of JOHESU/AHPN at FMC Yenagoa, Comrade Celestine Onoyina, said the union had waited long enough and accused the Federal Government of failing to honour agreements reached after years of negotiations.



In Delta, the strike forced patients to seek care elsewhere

The strike in Delta state forced many patients to seek care in private facilities.

Visits to Federal Medical Center, (FMC), Asaba, by our correspondent showed deserted wards and outpatient clinics, with only consultants, house officers, and nurses attending to patients.

At the center, a few nurses and medical staff were observed providing skeletal services to patients upon admission.

The strike left relatives of patients on admission and those in the Outpatients Department to look for alternative means of caring for their loved ones.

At the Federal Medical Center, Asaba, patients and their relatives at the hospital expressed frustration and lamented what they described as an “unbearable strike action” embarked upon by health workers

The Chief Medical Director, Dr Victor Osiatuma, said new patients were usually admitted under the care of specific consultants, who he said were expected to take full responsibility for such patients.

“With the strike, the center can admit new patients under consultants. Our General Outpatients’ Unit is also open for services,” Dr Osiatuma added.

However, normal medical services continued at the Delta State-owned Asaba Specialist Hospital (ASH), with little or no impact from the strike.

Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, said the strike ‘‘does not reflect the situation in Delta state as it remains the only state in the country with over 60 functional, government-owned hospitals.’’

He said state-owned hospitals had been granted full autonomy to retain and utilise 100 per cent of their internally generated revenue, enabling them to promptly procure drugs, maintain equipment, and respond more efficiently to patients’ needs.

Enugu state-owned hospital working

In Enugu, while the recent health strike affected federal hospitals in the state, the state-owned health facilities remained largely operational.

Laboratories, pharmacies and radiology units in the federal health facilities were either shut down or providing skeletal services, but state-owned facilities provided alternatives during the industrial action.

A medical doctor, Dr Okechukwu Amadi, said that though the strike affected federal health facilities, people in the state did not feel the impact too much because state health facilities were providing services.

“I can tell you that many people in Enugu state did not feel the impact of the strike as patients who could not be attended to in the federal hospitals got treatment in the state-owned hospitals,” he stated.

Health workers worked in Kebbi

There was no sign of a strike in Kebbi State, as health workers were seen working at the Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital and the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Birnin Kebbi when our correspondent visited.

A patient in a sick bed said he had been admitted to Sir Yahaya Hospital three days ago. He said there was no day when he was not attended to by the hospital’s medical officers.

Also at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, a female patient who was delivered of a baby two days earlier confirmed to LEADERSHIP Sunday that she was being attended to by the health workers.



In Imo, health workers observed strike

The health workers’ strike adversely impacted the health delivery system in Imo State. This resulted in public hospitals operating at low capacity, with critical services such as pharmacies, laboratories, and administrative departments brought to a halt.

When our Correspondent visited the General Hospital, Owerri, it was noticed that patients were being turned back.

A patient, Uzoma Ibe, stressed that the hospital tried its best to accommodate the patients. He, however, highlighted that some patients were turned back due to a lack of enough workers as a result of the strike action.

He said that some were forced to seek care at expensive private hospitals.

At the University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, patients and their family members also faced similar challenges in accessing medical attention.

The hospital’s pharmacy and laboratory services are limited, and patients are being forced to seek care at another hospital.

LabStores:
It's only doctors that are respected a bit in this mumu country, and it's very unreasonable.

How can we have ministry and minister of health still having his job for 84 days after health workers still in strike?

If it were doctors now, the strike won't last for more than 2 weeks

yomi007k:
The strike lasted for 84 days because doctors are still working.

If doctors go on strike, even you will feel it.

LabStores:
Learn to think and understand before commenting...
What will I feel if doctors go on strike? What's my business with them? Besides, are private hospital doctors too on strike?
The issue here is that, if it were doc that were on strike, it won't linger for this long.

Tolumiide:
You will not understand this story if you are not a victim. Public hospitals have not been working optimally for over 6 months.
1)Resident doctors were on strike for months.
2) Johesu went on strike weeks after the Doctors resumed from strike.
And Nobody is talking about it.

IPDGP:
In as much is life is very important, government should also do the necessary if truly they value the life of the citizens.

Iseddy:
Blame the government... 12 years of no salary review for workers while that of doctors have been reviewed 3 times. If you have a conversation with the hospital workers you'll understand.. working hard but being paid peanut. Some of the reasons some of them don't act friendly

yomi007k:
The strike lasted for 84 days because doctors are still working.

If doctors go on strike, even you will feel it.

Bobloco:
https://leadership.ng/how-health-workers-strike-crippled-hospitals-for-84-days/

Bobloco:
https://leadership.ng/how-health-workers-strike-crippled-hospitals-for-84-days/

Tolumiide:
You will not understand this story if you are not a victim. Public hospitals have not been working optimally for over 6 months.
1)Resident doctors were on strike for months.
2) Johesu went on strike weeks after the Doctors resumed from strike.
And Nobody is talking about it.

InvestSmart:
Only God can save this our country... Should health sector crisis every be part of the crisis we face? Are security, unemployment, housing, food and infrastructure crisis not enough?