The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), the umbrella body of health workers’ unions in Nigeria, has suspended its 84-day strike.

The National President of JOHESU, Mr Kabir Minjibir, confirmed the development on Friday via a text message, stating simply, “The strike has been suspended.”

The suspension followed a last-minute intervention by the Federal Ministry of Labour on Thursday night.

The industrial action, which entered its 84th day on Friday, had crippled activities in government-owned hospitals nationwide, leaving many patients stranded and forcing others to seek medical care outside public health facilities.

JOHESU represents health professionals in pharmacies, laboratories and other allied and support departments within the health sector. The union had insisted that the strike would persist until the Federal Government implemented the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which was submitted in 2021.

The prolonged strike also prompted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to issue a 14-day ultimatum in solidarity with the striking health workers.