Health workers’ strike disrupts hospital services in Katsina

An ongoing strike by health professionals in Katsina State has disrupted services at public hospitals, leaving patients and pltheir caregivers uncertain about access to medical treatment.

The health workers embarked on a one-week warning strike following disagreements with the state government over their welfare and remuneration.

A visit to Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital in Katsina on Saturday revealed the impact of the industrial action, with only a few patients seen around the surgical ward.

For many families, the dispute over workers’ remuneration has heightened concerns over the health and safety of loved ones requiring urgent medical attention.

One of the affected caregivers, Aina’u Abdulmajid, said her patient was suffering from complications arising from surgery and appealed to the state government to restore normal hospital services.

“For the sake of God, we call on the government to intervene. Our patient is suffering from complications arising from surgery. Please help us and restore services,” she pleaded.

Ms Abdulmajid’s appeal reflected the predicament of families who depend on public hospitals for treatment but have found themselves caught between an unresolved labour dispute and the urgent need for medical attention.

Another caregiver, Sulaiman Mansir, said he had brought his sick child to the hospital for treatment but was confronted with the disruptions caused by the strike.

Mr Mansir expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding his child’s treatment and urged the government to engage the striking health workers to resolve the dispute without further delay.

The industrial action has compounded the difficulties faced by families already grappling with transportation costs, medicines and other medical expenses.

Why health workers are on strike

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike was declared by the Assembly of Health Professionals following unresolved disagreements with the Katsina State government over workers’ remuneration and welfare.

The assembly comprises the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).

The assembly’s chairperson, Ibrahim Balange, said the unions issued a seven-day strike notice to the government on 7 October, but the notice expired without a satisfactory resolution of their demands.

Mr Balange explained that the dispute began in 2024, when the state government indicated plans to review the allowances of health professionals to align them with those of their counterparts in federal government service.

He said the workers subsequently raised concerns about the implementation of the minimum wage, alleging that the salary structure approved for them differed from what they were receiving.

According to him, a committee established to investigate the complaints submitted recommendations in March 2025, but the government had yet to implement them.

He said the Office of Public Service Reform later offered the workers 10 per cent of the salary difference between them and their counterparts in federal institutions.

However, the offer did not resolve the disagreement.

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Government responds

Following the commencement of the strike, the state government increased its offer to 15 per cent, but the unions rejected it, maintaining that it fell short of their demands.

The Head of the State Civil Service, Masa’ud Banye, confirmed that government officials had met with representatives of the striking workers to discuss the dispute.

Mr Banye expressed optimism that the disagreement would soon be resolved and acknowledged the difficulties patients were experiencing because of the industrial action.

He said Governor Dikko Radda’s administration remained committed to effective healthcare delivery in the state.