The ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has entered its third month, severely disrupting activities in government-owned hospitals across Nigeria and forcing many patients to seek medical care outside public health facilities.
The prolonged industrial action has crippled critical hospital services, especially in pharmacies, laboratories and other support units, making it difficult for doctors to deliver effective care. As a result, healthcare delivery in many federal hospitals has been reduced to skeletal operations.
Despite the widespread disruption, health workers in state-owned hospitals in Ekiti and Benue states have largely remained at work, helping to cushion the impact on patients. However, separate strikes by resident doctors, nurses and midwives in some state facilities—particularly the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi—have further strained healthcare services in those areas. These actions are linked to unpaid salaries, pension issues and poor infrastructure.
At the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, doctors and nurses were seen on duty, but most other health workers stayed away. The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals in Ekiti State, Ayodeji Ogunrinu, described the strike as unfortunate, noting that it had denied both community members and hospital staff access to essential medical services.
According to him, the hospital now resembles a ghost town, lacking basic necessities such as water, electricity, drugs and functional laboratories, making it nearly impossible to admit or treat patients. He urged the Federal Government to implement the 2018 circular from the Ministry of Labour on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, which forms the basis of the strike that began in late 2025.
In contrast, JOHESU members at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, have continued working. The acting chairman of the union at the facility, Adewale Adeosun, said the decision was taken out of respect for the state governor, noting that the influx of patients from federal hospitals had significantly increased the workload at the state facility.
Similarly, the state JOHESU chairman, Oluwafemi Ajoloko, expressed optimism that the Federal Government would respond positively to the union’s demands soon. He added that while federal workers were on strike, those in state hospitals and primary healthcare centres had remained at work, albeit under increased pressure.
At the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, hospital activities have been significantly scaled down. Doctors at the facility said services had been largely disrupted since the strike began, with surgeries scheduled since November 2025 left unattended. The JOHESU chairman at the hospital, Abdullateef Adeyeni, revealed that the institution had lost an estimated ₦1.5 billion in internally generated revenue over the three-month period, adding that patients were bearing the brunt of the impasse.
In Ondo State, public hospitals have recorded low patient turnout. At the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure, only doctors and consultants were seen at work, while laboratories, pharmacies and other departments remained closed. Many patients have reportedly turned to private hospitals after failing to access adequate care in government facilities.
Similar scenes were observed in Lagos, where services at major hospitals, including the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and Alimosho General Hospital, were either limited or skeletal. Patients were seen purchasing drugs outside hospital premises, while laboratory services were largely unavailable.
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In Benin City, services at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were nearly paralysed, with pharmacies and laboratories shut. Union leaders there expressed frustration over the slow pace of government negotiations, insisting that the strike was meant to draw attention to longstanding grievances, not to punish patients.
While JOHESU in Benue State said it was not on strike, healthcare delivery has still been partially disrupted by ongoing actions by nurses, midwives and resident doctors at the state university teaching hospital. These unions cite issues ranging from salary arrears and pension deductions to manpower shortages and poor infrastructure.
The Benue State Government has, however, assured health workers that efforts are ongoing to resolve the outstanding issues, with officials expressing confidence that the strikes would soon be suspended to restore full healthcare services.
As the industrial action drags on, patients across the country continue to face delays, increased costs and limited access to care, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution between the unions and the Federal Government.
