Health sector unions under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations are set to stage a national protest in Abuja today, Thursday, March 26, over the proposed Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 currently before the National Assembly.
The demonstration is expected to bring healthcare professionals from across Nigeria to the National Assembly Complex, with participants gathering at the Unity Fountain in Maitama, Abuja. In an official communication obtained on Thursday morning, JOHESU directed its affiliate unions and professional associations to mobilize members en masse, citing potential negative implications of the bills for healthcare workers and the sector as a whole.
Speaking on the planned protest, JOHESU National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, emphasized the importance of public awareness. “Our members must educate the general public on how the Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 affect their professions in particular and the health sector in general,” he said. He described the protest as a critical moment for healthcare workers and urged maximum participation, calling it a “historic existential struggle.”
The bills, which have already passed the first reading in the Senate, have raised concerns among health workers who fear they could alter existing structures, professional roles, and welfare conditions within the sector. JOHESU, a coalition that includes the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, has historically been at the forefront of labour disputes in the health sector. The group has previously engaged the Federal Government over issues such as salary structures, hazard allowances, and the dominance of certain professional groups in policy decisions.
Tensions in Nigeria’s healthcare system have persisted for years, often resulting in strikes and service disruptions that affect millions of citizens. Disputes are typically rooted in concerns over welfare, professional recognition, funding gaps, and governance. The Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 emerge at a time when the system is already under strain from workforce shortages, brain drain, and inadequate infrastructure, with many healthcare professionals migrating abroad for better working conditions.
The protest today underscores the growing urgency among health workers to influence policy decisions and protect their professional rights while highlighting the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system.
