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By Doris Obinna
Nigeria’s health sector is reeling under severe strain as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has renewed its call for urgent government intervention in the long-standing salary dispute that has triggered a nationwide strike by health workers.
The industrial action, now in its fourth day, has paralysed operations across all 73 Federal Health Institutions, leaving hospitals and non-hospital facilities struggling to deliver essential services.
At the core of the crisis is the unresolved adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), a demand that has lingered for nearly twelve years. While medical doctors under the CONMESS structure received salary reviews in 2014, 2017 and 2018, other health workers have been left without corresponding adjustments, leading to recurring strikes in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and again in 2025.
During a visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, emphasised the urgency of resolving the dispute. He reminded officials that the National Salaries and Wages Commission had recommended the salary adjustment since 2022 and forwarded the report to the Budget Office.
Tanko appealed to the Federal Government to sustain the momentum shown recently by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, expressing confidence that following due process would encourage the leadership of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to reconsider their stance. He warned that failure to act decisively could worsen unrest, erode workers’ confidence in government assurances and further jeopardise healthcare delivery nationwide.
He noted that JOHESU and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHPA) represent 85 per cent of Nigeria’s health workforce, with nurses and other allied professionals accounting for over 95 per cent of personnel in the sector. Tanko described the impact of the strike as devastating, stressing that the total shutdown of federal health facilities had created grave risks for millions of Nigerians who rely on public healthcare services.
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According to him, the November 15 commencement of the indefinite strike followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government. He explained that the agitation for CONHESS adjustment has been repeatedly ignored despite earlier recommendations by a high-level committee led by the National Salaries and Wages Commission.
The PSN offered to support the government in brokering a lasting solution, urging authorities to act on existing recommendations to break the deadlock. Tanko said the union believes that once proper processes are initiated, JOHESU leaders, who have historically acted with restraint, would be willing to return to the negotiation table.
Amid the ongoing crisis, the PSN also used the meeting to draw attention to its upcoming centenary celebrations in 2027. Marking 100 years since its establishment in 1927, the organisation plans a series of nationwide enlightenment campaigns, health outreaches, lectures and the launch of a ₦5 billion endowment fund to advance pharmacy education and research.
Tanko highlighted that the centenary celebrations, scheduled for 26 March 2027, would reflect the PSN’s status as Nigeria’s oldest organised professional body. He appealed for the SGF’s support as preparations for the milestone anniversary begin in earnest.
Despite the industry-wide disruption caused by the strike, the PSN reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Federal Government to strengthen healthcare delivery and promote good pharmacy practice for the benefit of Nigerians.
