Nurses across various hospitals in Nigeria have joined a seven-day nationwide warning strike to press for improved welfare, remuneration, and working conditions.
In Osun State, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mr. Oladele Olaniran, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo on Thursday that the association is demanding the implementation of nine key welfare-related items, including the gazette and execution of the nurses’ scheme of service which has remained unimplemented since 2016.
Olaniran lamented that despite the qualifications and expertise of nurses — including Master’s degree holders, PhD holders, and professors — they remain the least paid among clinical health workers.
“Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare sector, yet we are treated as the least important. Until our demands are met with actionable steps and not mere promises, we will continue this strike as directed by our national leadership,” he said.
As of Thursday, nurses at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the State General Hospital in Asubiaro had fully withdrawn their services. However, doctors were observed rendering skeletal services at some of the facilities.
Similarly, the NANNM chapter at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo in Ondo State, announced total compliance with the nationwide strike directive, vowing not to attend to any patients for the duration of the strike.
Mr. Coker Oluwasegun, the chapter’s Secretary, criticized the Federal Government for what he described as long-standing neglect and unfair treatment of nurses.
“There is no exemption; our members will not provide services under any circumstances. For more than 20 years, uniform allowance has remained N20,000 annually, and in virtually every allowance structure, nurses are shortchanged. Yet we are expected to perform as the primary workforce in the sector,” he said.
He further cited poor working conditions, lack of basic medical equipment, and demoralizing patient perceptions as major challenges faced by nurses.
According to Oluwasegun, if the Federal Government fails to meet the association’s 12-point demand after the warning strike, a 21-day ultimatum will be issued, after which an indefinite strike may be declared.
The nationwide action by NANNM marks a significant escalation in the agitation by Nigerian nurses, who argue that their demands have been ignored for years despite playing a crucial role in the country’s health system.
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