Abuja — The federal government has approved the implementation of a Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for medical health workers in federal medical agencies.

This follws the approval given for the new Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical and dental officers in federal government agencies by the government earlier in September this year,

It would be recalled that the joint health sector unions had threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action over their demand for CONHESS.

Health minister, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, had promised the unions that the new CONHESS would be approved before January 2010 when the implementation of CONMESS would have commenced, along with those of other professionals.

The approval granted by government has marked a watershed in government and labour relations in the health sector as the welfare of professionals in the entire sector is being improved for the first time overall without any industrial action.