Katsina Health Workers Issue 21-Day Ultimatum to Government Over Unpaid Salaries and Poor Conditions

Health workers in Katsina State, under the aegis of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and other allied health unions, have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding the immediate settlement of long-overdue salaries, allowances, and improvements in working conditions or face an indefinite strike.

The ultimatum, contained in a joint statement issued on Monday, July 6, 2026, after an emergency meeting of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the NMA in Katsina, reflects growing frustration among medical personnel who say they have endured months of unpaid salaries, unremitted deductions, and deteriorating infrastructure in state-owned hospitals and primary healthcare centres.

The unions listed several key demands, including the immediate payment of outstanding salaries from the last quarter of 2025 and the first half of 2026, clearance of promotion arrears, payment of hazard allowances, provision of adequate medical supplies and equipment, and the recruitment of additional doctors, nurses, and other health workers to address severe staffing shortages, especially in rural areas.

In the statement signed by leaders of the various unions, the health workers expressed disappointment that despite repeated engagements with the state government, most of their demands have remained unaddressed. They warned that if the government fails to meet the 21-day deadline, they will have no choice but to withdraw their services across all government hospitals and health facilities in the state.

“We have been patient for too long. Our members are demotivated, demoralised, and struggling to survive. Many doctors and nurses have left the state for greener pastures abroad or in other parts of the country,” the statement read. “We cannot continue to risk our lives and the lives of patients under these terrible conditions. The government must act now before the health system collapses completely.”

The unions also raised alarm over the rising cases of brain drain, noting that Katsina has lost dozens of experienced medical personnel in the past two years due to poor remuneration and lack of basic working tools. They appealed to Governor Dikko Umar Radda to treat the matter with the urgency it deserves, warning that any strike would have devastating consequences for ordinary citizens, particularly vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, and the elderly.

Katsina State, like many northern states, already faces significant challenges in its healthcare sector. Many rural health centres operate with skeletal staff, inadequate drugs, and outdated equipment. The potential withdrawal of services by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists would likely lead to the shutdown of most general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, leaving thousands of patients without access to care.

Medical experts fear that an industrial action at this time could worsen the state’s already high maternal and child mortality rates and complicate efforts to control outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, measles, and meningitis, which are common during the rainy season.

As of the time of this report, the Katsina State Government had not issued an official response to the 21-day ultimatum. However, sources within the state Ministry of Health say the government is aware of the grievances and is working to address some of the outstanding payments.

Governor Dikko Radda’s administration has previously been praised for investments in healthcare infrastructure, including the renovation of several general hospitals and the procurement of medical equipment. However, health workers argue that these efforts are being undermined by the failure to pay salaries and allowances on time.

The state government had earlier attributed delays in salary payments to shortfalls in federal allocations and the economic challenges facing the country. It promised that efforts were being made to clear the backlog as soon as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and expected federal support improve.

The threat of strike by Katsina health workers adds to a growing list of similar agitations across several Nigerian states. In recent months, doctors and health workers in Kaduna, Zamfara, Benue, and a few other states have either embarked on strikes or issued similar ultimatums over unpaid salaries, poor welfare, and inadequate funding of the health sector.

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) at the national level has also expressed concern about the deteriorating working conditions of doctors nationwide and has warned that without urgent intervention from both federal and state governments, more health workers may emigrate, further worsening Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio, which is already among the worst in Africa.

As the 21-day ultimatum begins, all eyes are on the Katsina State Government and how it responds to the health workers’ demands. A peaceful resolution could prevent another major disruption in healthcare delivery in the state. Failure to address the grievances, however, may lead to a full-scale strike that could have serious consequences for the health and wellbeing of millions of residents.