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The Edo State has disclosed that six persons have died from Lassa Fever in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole made the disclosure on Friday while addressing journalists in Benin.

He said the state has recorded 28 confirmed cases of the fever, adding that the recent increase in cases, particularly from Estako West and Esan West Local Government Areas, signals sustained community transmission that requires immediate, coordinated, and escalated response.

According to Oshiomhole, the state goverment has been proactive knowing that Lassa Fever out break has become periodic by donating lassa pack to Irrue Specialist Teaching Hospital.

He noted, “distinguished colleagues, partners in health, members of the press, and the good people of Edo State, today, Friday 13th February 2026, I address you with a deep sense of responsibility regarding the public health situation in our dear State.

“Following a careful epidemiological review and risk assessment by the Edo State Ministry of Health, I hereby formally declare a Lassa Fever Outbreak in Edo State.

“As of today, Edo State has recorded 28 laboratory-confirmed cases of Lassa fever with 6 reported deaths.

“The recent increase in cases, particularly from Estako West and Esan West Local Government Areas, signals sustained community transmission that requires immediate, coordinated, and escalated response.

“The Edo state government has been proactive knowing that lassa fever out break has become periodic by donating lassa packs to ISTH,” he added.

Oshiomhole, in line with national and international public health protocols, announced the activation of All Pillars of the Edo State Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) with immediate effect.

He said the response would be fully coordinated under the leadership of the Director of Public Health, ministry of health, who would provide daily situation reports directly to the Commissioner for Health.

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Striking health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions have insisted that only the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure will end their ongoing industrial action, as efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the dispute remain stalled.

The strike, which entered its 82nd day on Wednesday, has paralysed activities in government-owned hospitals across the country, leaving patients stranded and forcing many to seek essential medical services outside public health facilities.

JOHESU, which represents health professionals in pharmacies, laboratories and other support departments, has maintained that the action will continue until the Federal Government implements the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of CONHESS, submitted since 2021.

The protracted strike has also triggered a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in solidarity with the health workers.

The ultimatum, which expires on Friday, February 6, 2026, warned that other affiliate unions could join the action if the government fails to resolve what labour describes as the “maltreatment” of health workers.

In a joint statement by the Secretary-General of the TUC, Nuhu Toro, and the acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, the labour centres accused the Federal Government of deliberately refusing to implement the salary adjustment despite repeated engagements.

They rejected what they described as “the persistent and deliberate provocative refusal of the Federal Government to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure.”

According to the unions, the continued delay “is no longer an administrative lapse but a conscious act of injustice, bad faith and institutional disrespect to health workers and organised labour.”

“It is, therefore, unacceptable and a blatant provocation that while the government had no difficulty implementing the adjustment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure with effect from January 2, 2014, the same government has wilfully refused to implement the same for CONHESS,” the statement read.

Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja on the state of negotiations, the National President of JOHESU, Kabiru Minjibir, said discussions with the government remain deadlocked.

“Negotiations are still deadlocked, and the strike continues. NLC and TUC’s 14-day ultimatum to the government to resolve the issue or have other affiliate unions join in solidarity expires on Friday,” Minjibir said.

He stressed that the union’s demands remain singular and clear.

“We are on strike because of one single demand, which is CONHESS adjustment, as done for the sister scale, CONMESS, in 2014. So, if the government does the needful, we will surely suspend the strike,” he added.

Asked whether the Federal Government had reached out to the union ahead of the ultimatum deadline, Minjibir said, “We have yet to receive any invitation from the government.”

Efforts to get an official response from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare were unsuccessful.

When contacted, the Director of Press at the ministry, Alaba Balogun, said he would revert to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of press time.

The strike is coming at a critical time for the country’s public health system, as cases of Lassa fever continue to rise.

Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control show that more than 90 cases and 17 deaths were recorded nationwide in the first three weeks of 2026 alone, raising concerns about the impact of the prolonged shutdown of key services in public hospitals.

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The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has disputed the Nigerian government’s claim that outstanding arrears of the 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) adjustment have been fully paid, revealing that thousands of doctors are still owed.

Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, NARD National President, Dr Mohammad Suleman, said more than 2000 resident doctors are yet to receive the seven months’ arrears, despite assurances from the President Bola Tinubu-led government.

“On the seven months’ arrears of 25–35 per cent, we still have over 2,000, almost 3,000 of our members who are yet to be paid those arrears,” Suleman said.

The Nigerian government had earlier stated that seven out of the 19 demands presented by the association had been statutorily addressed, including the payment of the CONMESS adjustment.

However, Suleman described the government’s approach as inconsistent, noting that the issue had repeatedly been pushed into service-wide vote provisions rather than being properly captured in the national budget.

“In 2023, it was said to be put inside the service-wide vote if it wasn’t paid. In 2024, it was put in the service-wide vote; in 2025, it was again put there,” he explained.

According to him, resident doctors should not have to rely on repeated special interventions by the President before their lawful entitlements are honoured.

“The President had to make special provision when doctors agitated for that money to be paid. Are we saying these arrears have to go through that route of waiting for service-wide vote after service-wide vote and waiting for the President of the country to specifically intervene before they are captured in the budget?” he asked.

Suleman confirmed that negotiations were ongoing with the Federal Government and the Ministry of Health, expressing cautious optimism that concrete progress could be achieved before the weekend.

“Right now, we are in discussions with the Federal Government team. I would hope that from tonight to tomorrow, to Sunday, a lot of things are going to be done in the proper way,” he said.

He added that any decision on the planned industrial action would be guided by evidence of government goodwill rather than legal threats.

“So that the National Executive Council will now look at it, not in the context of court injunctions and ‘no work, no pay,’ but in the context of what has been done and the evidence that good faith is on the table,” Suleman stated.

Despite a court injunction restraining the association from proceeding with its planned strike, the NARD president insisted that the resolve of its members remained firm.

“I am making it very clear that the resolve of our members is not shaken by all these. All these were factored into the decision to embark on this strike,” he said.

When asked whether the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Monday would still hold, Suleman said the final call rested with the association’s leadership.

“Unless the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors says otherwise,” he said.

He also questioned whether the court order adequately addressed the realities facing doctors and patients across the country.

“Are we ignoring the sufferings that doctors are going through in this country? Are we ignoring the suffering that patients go through because doctors are exhausted, frustrated and have difficulties executing their jobs?” he asked.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja had on Friday ordered NARD and its members to suspend the strike slated for January 12. The injunction, granted by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, followed an application filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation after submissions by the Ministry of Justice.

NARD, however, has maintained that it plans to proceed with a total, indefinite strike, citing the Federal Government’s failure to fully implement agreements contained in a Memorandum of Understanding signed after the last strike was suspended on November 29. The association also dismissed allegations that its actions were politically motivated.