The Nigeria Labour Congress has criticised the government for neglecting the health sector and worsening the plight of health workers by hoisting poor welfare, unpaid entitlements, and unfulfilled promises, describing the situation as a national tragedy.
The President, Joe Ajaero, said the government’s approach to public healthcare and its disregard for the welfare of medical workers have revealed a preference for foreign hospitals, over building an effective local health system that serves Nigerians fairly, thereby collapsing our health systems.
Ajaero made the remarks at the opening of the 51st Regular National Executive Council meeting of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria in Abuja.
He said: “Our health sector continues to bleed. It is not an accident; it is a direct result of a system that prioritises profit over people, that sees healthcare as a commodity and health workers as disposable instruments.
“You, the frontline workers in every pandemic — the pharmacists, the laboratory scientists, the porters — you are the lifeblood of this nation’s well-being, yet you are forced to work in conditions that sicken the very spirit of healing.
“You are overworked, underpaid, and disrespected. You face unimaginable trauma daily, only to be met with empty promises and a blatant disregard for your welfare.
“This is a calculated assault designed to break your will and privatise the commonwealth of our public health system.
“You have suffered severely from the unfaithfulness of the government to negotiated agreements because premium is not placed on the services that you render. Maybe, out of guilt, they prefer to die abroad!”
He described health workers as the soul of Nigeria’s survival and stated that when any worker is treated unfairly, “the entire working class is devalued.
“When you are forced to operate in a state of despair, you have only two choices, as the great Karl Marx identified: to withdraw your labour or to become more committed to the struggle.
“Withdrawal is not just a strike; it is the quiet despair that leads to burnout, to brain drain, to a slow death of the system.
“But commitment — the commitment you show by being here today — is the fuel of radical change.
“It is the resolve to organise, to mobilise, and to fight back against the unjust treatments in our hospitals and health institutions across the nation.”
Ajaero called for unity among all unions in the health sector to demand better working conditions, living wages, and sufficient funding for public health facilities.
“Our solutions must therefore be as radical as the problems we face. We must unite and broaden the struggle; forge an unbreakable alliance with all health sector unions.
“Your strength is in your unity. A joint struggle across the entire health sector is invincible. JOHESU must be reinvigorated by bringing all unions on board,” he said.
He urged the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria to use the NEC meeting to make concrete resolutions and actionable plans to push for reforms in the health system.
“This NEC meeting should not be a talk shop; it should be a situation room. The decisions you make here must resonate in the halls of power and on the floors of every hospital in Nigeria.
“Do not let them pacify you with tokens; demand a fundamental restructuring of the health sector. Demand living wages, safe working conditions, and adequate funding for public health. If not — Japa!”
The NLC leader also called for political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, urging workers to build a political movement that truly represents their interests rather than relying on politicians.
“We must move beyond begging the bosses to becoming the architects of our own destiny,” he said.
Ajaero praised the leadership of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (WAHWUN) and past labour heroes for their dedication to the struggle for justice and workers’ welfare.
“Your President and Deputy-President of Congress, Comrade Ado Sani and his General-Secretary, Comrade Kiyawa, have continued to represent you well. We doff our hats to them!
“The NLC stands shoulder to shoulder with you. Your fight is our fight. Together, we will heal the healers, and in doing so, we will begin to heal our nation,” he said.
