About 6.1 million Nigerians risk disruptions in health services provisions as the Nigerian Labour Congress leads workers on an indefinite strike from Monday, June 3.
The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) issued a notice of strike to members on Saturday, demanding a graphic evidence of compliance to be shared on the national secretariat platform.
Auwalu Kiyawa, MHWUN’s secretary general said the action is sequel to government’s defiance towards workers demands curated by the NLC.
The union governs about 17 health groups including the Medical and Health Department Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Medical Technical Workers’ Union and Nursing and Health Auxiliary Staff Association among others.
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Approximately 4.5 million Nigerians accessed outpatient health services, and 1.6 million had inpatient admissions across 33 federal tertiary hospitals in the past year, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.
A disruption in the health provision value chain historically leaves patients stranded in public hospitals, exerting pressure to transfers to private alternatives on struggling relatives.
The statement reads: “Sequel to the declaration of a nationwide indefinite Strike by the Organized Labour over Federal Government apparent unseriousness and failure to reverse the satanic increment of electricity tariff and conclude negotiation for a living wage for Nigeria workers, I wish to request you to immediately commence intense mobilisation of our members’ for a total shutdown of all the health facilities in the Country, commencing from 00.01 hours, 3rd June 2024, in compliance with the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
“Consequently, the State Councils leadership is equally requested to collaborate with the organized labour in their state to ensure a water-tight compliance and monitoring of the strike actions, as any form of sabotage shall not be acceptable.”
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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are leading a nationwide strike due to unmet demands including the negotiations for a new minimum wage, the recent increase in electricity tariff hike that hasn’t been reversed and the way electricity customers are categorised into different bands.
