•Health workers protest
Nigeria faces a mounting health emergency as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) renewed its demand for urgent government action on the long-standing salary dispute that has crippled services nationwide.
The strike, now in its fourth day, has paralysed operations in all 73 Federal Health Institutions, leaving hospitals and non-hospital facilities struggling to cope, reports Daily Independent.
At the centre of the dispute is the unresolved adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), a demand that has persisted for nearly twelve years. While doctors under CONMESS received salary revisions in 2014, 2017 and 2018, health workers have been left behind, fueling repeated industrial actions in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and now again in 2025.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, reminded officials that the National Salaries and Wages Commission had, since 2022, recommended adjustments for health workers, with the report already forwarded to the Budget Office.
Tanko urged the federal government to sustain the momentum recently generated by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, stressing that adherence to due process could pave the way for JOHESU’s leadership to reconsider its stance.
He warned that failure to act decisively would deepen unrest in the health sector, erode confidence among workers weary of repeated promises, and jeopardise service delivery nationwide. He underscored the gravity of the situation, noting that JOHESU and AHPA represent 85 percent of Nigeria’s health workforce, with nurses and allied professionals accounting for over 95 per cent of the sector.
His speech partly reads, “Our visit is a vivid expression of our encouragement to the Federal Government to continue to embark on strategies to sustain nationhood as well as restore hope to our teeming population in all ramifications of life.
“We commend the federal government on areas of obvious macroeconomic gains and prospects of a progressive economic life even as we assure the government that the PSN will partner the Federal Government to ensure today’s macroeconomics gain transcends to better life for the common man. We shall seize this discourse to raise a number of contemporary issues which include ongoing strike.”
Ongoing Strike Of Health Workers
Tanko lamenting the devastating impact of the strike is and it grave risks to the nation’s healthcare delivery, further, noted, “On Saturday November 15, 2025, health workers under the aegis of the JOHESU/AHPA commenced an indefinite strike after the expiration of a 15-days mandatory ultimatum to the Federal Government.
“The JOHESU/AHPA constitutes 85 percent of the value chain of health workers in Nigeria. Its agitation is basically hinged on an almost twelve year recurring demand of adjustment of the CONHESS as was done for CONMESS first in 2014, then 2017 and 2018.
“The CONHESS is the operating wage payment platform for JOHESU/AHPA members and nurses who together constitute over 95 percent of the entire healthcare workforce in Nigeria.
“It is important to put on record that health workers have gone on strike on this subject matter before in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025.
“We are concerned because all 73 Federal Health Institutions (FHIs) and even non- hospital based facilities where JOHESU members are domiciled have been paralysed by the effect of this strike which has been debilitating in the last 4 days.
“For the records, we hasten to inform Your Excellency that since 2022 the High Level Body chaired by the Chairman of the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSIWC) had recommended that this fund be paid health workers and this report was sent to the office of the Director General, Budget Office in line with protocol.
“The PSN wishes to offer a helping hand to the Federal Government in finding acceptable solutions to resolve this impasse as quickly as possible.
“We strongly recommend that the unprecedented momentum generated in the last 24 hours preceding the strike by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy be sustained to break this logjam immediately.
“The PSN believes that once due process is activated by the Federal Government, the often sensitive and responsible JOHESU leadership can and will be prevailed upon to respond appropriately,” Tanko added.
Centenary Celebrations
Beyond the industrial action, the PSN also seized the opportunity to highlight its forthcoming centenary celebrations in 2027, marking 100 years since its founding in 1927.
According to PSN, the centenary commemoration plans include public enlightenment campaigns, health outreaches, lectures, and the launch of a N5 billion endowment fund to advance pharmacy education and research.
The PSN boss said, “The PSN is unarguably the oldest organised professional body in Nigeria founded in 1927. Specifically on March 26, 2027, the PSN will be a hundred-years-old and we intend to reflect the Centenary status and attainment with a befitting celebration in Abuja.
“We shall run public enlightenment campaigns, health outreaches, public lectures, maximum engagement with Government and policy makers in a well organised and designed template geared to bring Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) to the domain of consumers of health.
“Your Excellency, we plan to launch a N5 Billion Endowment levy that will be dedicated to promote Pharmacy Education and some level of research as we advance Pharmacy to new levels and frontiers in the quest for more serious global reckoning.”
He also noted the key aspects of the forthcoming celebration and requested the SGF’s support, with preliminary activities now formally underway. Despite the ongoing crisis, Tanko assured that the PSN remains committed to partnering with the Federal Government to strengthen healthcare delivery and promote good pharmacy practice nationwide.
