The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Delta State Chapter, has announced that its members have returned to work following the suspension of their strike, with April set as the deadline for the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Comrade Gibson Ukala, Chairman of JOHESU at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba Branch, shared the update in an interview with The Pointer, where he addressed concerns about the resumption and explained the terms that led to the suspension of the industrial action.
Ukala said the strike was officially called off at exactly midnight on Friday the 6th, in line with a directive from the union’s national leadership. He noted that because the suspension took effect over the weekend, hospital activities appeared quiet, creating the impression that workers had not resumed.
“Weekends are not regular working days, and even when hospitals are fully operational, activity is usually reduced,” he explained. “However, our members resumed work on the 6th as directed by the national body.”
He added that a Congress meeting was held on Monday to properly brief members and communicate the contents of the agreement reached with the Federal Government.
On the outcome of discussions with the government, Ukala disclosed that a timeline running through April has been agreed upon for the adjustment of CONHESS. He also revealed that the Federal Government has agreed to withdraw the “No Work, No Pay” policy imposed during the strike. According to him, January 2026 salaries for JOHESU members will be paid without delay, and no worker will face victimisation, sanctions, or intimidation for participating in the strike.
Ukala reaffirmed the union’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of health workers and urged the Federal Government to honour its promises in order to maintain industrial peace in the health sector.
The strike, which lasted 84 days before it was suspended on Friday, had crippled services in government-owned hospitals nationwide, leaving many patients stranded and forcing others to seek medical care outside public health facilities.
