There have been more health workers’ strikes under Mr Muhammadu Buhari’s administration than the three previous governments since the return to democracy in 1999. Dataphyte research on the duration of strike actions embarked upon by health workers shows that this group of workers has spent 319 days away from work from 2000 to date.
Under the Buhari-led administration, health workers have been on strike for 164 days, representing 51.41 percent of 319 days of strike embarked upon by this group of professionals in 23 years.
From 2000 till date, strike actions have been embarked upon by four health associations in the country. However, under Buhari’s administration, only two of these have been strike-active, with the four of them going on strike under Dr Goodluck Jonarhan-led administration.
Of the four associations that embarked on strike, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) protested more. They spent 232 days, representing 72.73 percent of the total number of days, out of work.
Workers have the right to fight for their welfare and better working conditions. This is enshrined in Section 30 of the Trade Union Act. As stated in subsection 6 (b & c), unions are not to go on strike or lock-out unless:
“the strike or lock-out concerns a labour dispute that constitutes a dispute of right;
the strike or lock-out concerns a dispute arising from a collective and fundamental breach of contract of employment or collective agreement on the part of the employee, trade union or employer.”
Thus, the welfare of health workers and better working conditions remain the major causes of the crisis in the health sector.
The health workers employed Section 4 of the Trade Dispute Act, which considers all other possible ways of negotiating for their welfare and only have to strike as a last resort.
While the current government has refused to listen to collective bargaining on many occasions, the health workers have had to enforce their rights to improve their welfare and services.
Reasons for the strike
Health workers have embarked on strike over the years for different reasons, topmost of which has been about payment of benefits. These benefits include: arrears owed them by the government, approved salary structure and the 150 percent increase in call-duty arrears.
However, the NARD, which has gone on strike the most, has made special demands to improve their welfare and services. Since their employment is a training programme, in addition to non-payment of entitlements, they have protested the lack of residency training guidelines which will aid their professional development.
In addition, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has gone on strike for the nonchalant attitude of the government towards healthcare services and health workers. They have also protested poor infrastructure in the sector and the fact that the government does not seem to care about the degradation in the health sector.
Buhari’s administration witnessed the worse strike
In addition to being responsible for 51.41 percent of the 319 days of strike, the worst strike has been recorded under the Buhari administration.
Dataphyte research revealed that the strike embarked upon by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) between April 17 and May 31, 2018 was the worst since the country’s return to democracy. This strike lasted for 44 days and affected the entire nation.
While the other strikes were mostly at the federal level, states and local governments health workers joined this strike at some point. This crippled the entire nation’s health services as all government health facilities were shut down.
Also, under the watch of President Buhari was the first time the government failed to reach an agreement with grieving health workers and had to use court injuctions to order the call-off of strikes. This was the case in the NMA strike of 2018.The administration also, for a second time, sought to employ the industrial court to order striking NARD workers back to work in 2021. However, the court upheld the position of the doctors, refusing to stop the strike and forcing the government to listen and negotiate with them.