By Peter Adelowo
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has hit back at the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over claims regarding salary parity in the health sector.
JOHESU accused NAMDA and NMA of spreading misinformation and distorting facts in their opposition to the ongoing salary relativity dispute under the CONHESS salary structure.
In a statement, JOHESU criticized NAMDA’s stance that non-physician health professionals should not demand improved salary scales.
The union described this as discriminatory and a violation of the 1999 Constitution.
JOHESU also disputed the 2014 salary adjustments for physicians, arguing that the agreement signed was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), not a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which JOHESU believes holds precedence in negotiations.
The union emphasized the existing pay disparities, highlighting that while physicians enter at Grade Level 13, non-physician health professionals spend years advancing to similar levels, which perpetuates an imbalance in the sector.
JOHESU also criticized the July 2025 circular from the Ministry of Health for introducing salary ratios still favoring physicians.
JOHESU urged the Federal Government to urgently address the CONHESS salary adjustments and demanded that the health sector’s salary structures be aligned to ensure fairness and equity.
The union called on NAMDA and NMA to present factual data, warning that they would take action to expose what they called “tyrannical service and remuneration models” in the sector.
