Patients bear brunt as Lagos health workers insist on indefinite strike

2026-02-10 - 14:18

By Victor Ahiuma-Young Patients across Lagos State are facing growing hardship as public hospitals and health facilities continue to experience service disruptions following the extension of the strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, Lagos State Branch. From Ikeja to Badagry, Epe to Ikorodu, and all over the state,patients seeking care in government-owned hospitals have been left stranded, with many either turning to costly private facilities or postponing treatment altogether as the industrial action enters another phase. JOHESU, which represents non-physician and non-nursing healthcare professionals in Lagos public hospitals, said the decision to sustain the strike was due to the Lagos State Government’s failure to provide concrete and time-bound commitments on long-standing issues bordering on equity, remuneration, and professional recognition. At briefing, State Chairman of JOHESU, Adelaja Gbadamosi, accused the Lagos Government of injustice, even as he blamed ‘powerful interests’ for blocking health reforms in Lagos, saying “JOHESU in Lagos rejects empty promises.” Represented by the state JOHESU’s Secretary, Kabiawu Gbolahan, he explained that the union joined the national strike on December 2, 2025, after prolonged negotiations with the state government failed to yield tangible results. According to him, the strike was embarked upon as a last resort after repeated engagements with state officials did not translate into action. “Our members are fully aware of the hardship this action is causing Lagosians, but the neglect of our legitimate demands left us with no other option,”Gbadamosi said. The union’s demands include the recognition and appropriate remuneration of consultant pharmacists, establishment of autonomous Departments of Medical Laboratory Services in Lagos health institutions, provision of staff buses for healthcare workers, implementation of revised call-duty and shift allowances, and extension of retention allowances to all healthcare professionals. JOHESU also criticised what it described as discriminatory practices in the selective payment of retention allowances to only a few cadres of health workers, warning that such policies deepen inequality within the system and contribute to the mass migration of health professionals from the state. While noting that the Federal Government has taken steps to address similar issues at the national level, including the payment of withheld salaries and assurances against victimisation, the union expressed disappointment that Lagos State has yet to demonstrate a comparable level of commitment. The union further alleged that attempts to promote professional equity and autonomy in Lagos hospitals had been blocked by entrenched interests within the system, insisting that healthcare delivery in the state cannot thrive when some professionals are treated as second-class citizens. As Lagos residents continue to feel the impact of the strike, JOHESU called on the Lagos State Government to urgently intervene, demonstrate genuine commitment to resolving the dispute, and implement previously agreed resolutions without further delay. Despite the ongoing strike, the union reaffirmed its readiness to return to the negotiating table once meaningful and sincere steps are taken by the government, stressing that resolving the crisis is critical not only for workers’ welfare but for the health and well-being of millions of Lagosians who depend on public healthcare services.