Health unions under Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations are set to take their opposition to the proposed Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 with a national protest at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The demonstration, scheduled for Thursday, March 26, will see healthcare professionals from across the country converge first at the Unity Fountain before marching to the legislature.
In a notice signed by JOHESU National Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, affiliates and professional associations were directed to mobilise members en masse and engage the public on the perceived implications of the bills, which have already passed first reading in the Senate.
“Our members must educate the general public on how the Health Sector Executive Bills 2026 affect their respective professions in particular and the health sector in general,” Egbanubi said.
He framed the protest as a defining moment for healthcare workers across Nigeria.
“Your participation in this historic existential struggle is highly solicited and essential,” he added.
According to the unions, the proposed legislation raises concerns about possible alterations to existing structures within the health system, particularly regarding professional responsibilities, administrative arrangements, and staff welfare.
JOHESU, which 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 sector, frequently engaging the Federal Government over salary structures, hazard allowances, and issues of professional recognition in policy formulation.
Nigeria’s health sector has long grappled with recurring tensions that often result in strikes and service disruptions, largely driven by disputes over welfare, funding gaps, governance of institutions, and perceived professional imbalances.
The planned protest comes amid broader strain on the system, including workforce shortages, migration of health professionals abroad, and infrastructure deficits, factors unions say make the timing and implications of the proposed bills even more critical.
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