Healthcare services at public hospitals in Katsina State have been disrupted following a one-week warning strike by health professionals over unresolved issues concerning their salaries and welfare.

The strike has left patients and their caregivers worried about accessing medical treatment, particularly those requiring urgent medical attention.

At the Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital in Katsina, a visit on Saturday revealed a low turnout of patients around the surgical ward.

One caregiver, Aina’u Abdulmajid, appealed to the state government to intervene, saying her patient was experiencing complications following surgery.

Another caregiver, Sulaiman Mansir, expressed concern over disruptions to the treatment of his sick child and urged the government to engage the striking workers to resolve the dispute.

The strike was declared by the Assembly of Health Professionals, comprising the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the National Union of Allied Health Professionals.

The assembly’s chairperson, Ibrahim Balange, said the unions issued a seven-day strike notice on October 7, which expired without a satisfactory response from the government.

According to him, the dispute began in 2024 when the state government proposed reviewing health workers’ allowances to bring them in line with those of their counterparts in federal service.

The workers also raised concerns over the implementation of the minimum wage, alleging discrepancies between their approved salary structure and actual payments.

Balange said a committee set up to investigate the complaints submitted its recommendations in March 2025, but the government had yet to implement them.

He added that the government’s initial offer of 10 per cent of the salary difference between state and federal health workers was rejected by the unions.

Following the commencement of the strike, the government increased its offer to 15 per cent, but the workers maintained that it was insufficient.

The Head of the State Civil Service, Masa’ud Banye, confirmed that government officials had met with union representatives to discuss the dispute.

He expressed optimism that the disagreement would be resolved soon and acknowledged the difficulties the strike had caused patients.

Banye also reaffirmed Governor Dikko Radda’s administration’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the state.