Collective Bargaining in Nigeria’s Public Health Sector: Evidences for an Inclusive Approach

Abstract

This paper provides a background to the concept of collective bargaining and its history as it relates to Nigeria’s public health sector. It further suggests an inclusive approach to collective bargaining based on available evidences. In essence, it advocates a departure from ‘bread and butter issues’ being the centre-piece of collective bargaining, in the light of other competing issues such as, infrastructure, capacity building and quality assurance. It negates the perspective that prioritizes certain individual interests at the expense of other issues that are apparently militating against the sustainability of Nigeria’s public health care delivery system. The paper appropriately recommends that stakeholders must make concerted efforts towards ensuring the survival and sustainability of public health care in Nigeria.

Keywords: collective bargaining, Nigeria, public healthcare, inclusive approach, industrial relations.