Key Points
- Allied health professionals under the Oyo State Hospitals’ Management Board have begun an indefinite strike over unmet welfare demands.
- The industrial action followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the state government.
- The union is demanding teaching allowances, promotion benefits, call duty allowances and other outstanding entitlements.
- NUAHP says its members have repeatedly suspended planned strikes following government appeals, but promised resolutions have not materialised.
- The union has directed members across the state to withdraw their services until their demands are addressed.
Main Story
Allied health professionals working under the Oyo State Hospitals’ Management Board have commenced an indefinite strike over what they describe as the government’s failure to address their outstanding welfare demands and professional entitlements.
The chairman of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Oyo State Council, Comrade Oladayo Olabampe, announced the industrial action at a news conference in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Olabampe said the strike followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the Oyo State Government on October 13. According to him, the deadline elapsed at midnight on Tuesday without any intervention to resolve the issues raised by the union.
He explained that the union had suspended planned industrial actions on three previous occasions following appeals from commissioners for health, the chairman of the Hospitals’ Management Board and heads of service.
However, he said the union’s members became frustrated when the issues returned to their previous state after each intervention, with promised resolutions failing to materialise.
Olabampe said the decision to withdraw services was taken after repeated communications, consultations and negotiations failed to produce satisfactory results.
He acknowledged that the strike could affect patients but maintained that the union had reached the limit of its members’ patience.
The Issues
One of the union’s major demands is the payment of teaching allowances to officers on Grade Level 12 and above, as provided under the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adopted by Oyo State.
Olabampe alleged that nurses and doctors in the state service had received the allowance since 2015, while NUAHP members involved in teaching students at universities and health technology institutions had been excluded.
The union is also demanding the implementation of skipping CONHESS 10, an advancement benefit associated with Grade Level 11. According to Olabampe, the incentive has been approved for medical officers in Oyo State and implemented in federal institutions since 2017.
Another outstanding issue is the restoration of call duty allowances for dental therapists. The chairman said the allowance was discontinued about 10 years ago without a stated reason, despite several submissions seeking its reinstatement.
He also alleged that medical laboratory scientists and radiographers in the state civil service had been denied due promotions during three consecutive promotion exercises.
Other demands include the implementation of peculiar allowances and uniform allowances, including ward coat allowances, which the union says were approved by the Federal Ministry of Health but remain unimplemented in Oyo State.
What’s Being Said
Olabampe said the union was seeking fair treatment for allied health professionals, arguing that government policies should be applied consistently across the health sector.
He also called for a review of hospital operational guidelines and related documents to include NUAHP members in management committees and other relevant decision-making bodies.
According to him, allied health professionals make up a significant proportion of the health workforce and contribute substantially to hospital revenue.
NUAHP represents several professional groups, including medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, dental technologists, dental therapists, medical social workers, radiographers, nutritionists, dietitians and health information management practitioners.
The union has appealed to residents and other concerned Nigerians to urge the state government to address its demands.
What’s Next
NUAHP has directed its members across Oyo State to withdraw their services indefinitely until the outstanding demands are addressed.
The duration of the strike will depend on whether the government engages the union and provides acceptable solutions backed by the necessary official circulars.
Meanwhile, patients who depend on public hospitals could face disruptions to diagnostic services, rehabilitation, radiology and other healthcare services provided by allied health professionals.
Bottom Line
The strike highlights growing tensions over welfare, career progression and equal treatment among healthcare professionals in Oyo State.
Resolving the dispute will require meaningful engagement between the government and the union, alongside clear commitments on outstanding allowances and promotions.
For patients, a prolonged shutdown could make access to essential healthcare more difficult. A timely resolution would therefore serve both the interests of health workers and the residents who depend on public hospitals.
