• N20,000 uniform allowance grossly insufficient, NANNM protests
• Says 90% of demands are without financial cost
The Federal Government has appealed to the striking health workers, especially the nurses, to call off the ongoing strike, saying the contentious issues can be resolved through negotiations.
Also, the House of Representatives has appealed to the striking nurses and midwives in the country to call off the industrial action on behalf of all Nigerians.
This was as the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said the N20,000 yearly uniform allowance for their members was grossly insufficient, requesting the establishment of a Directorate of Nursing Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, to be headed by a registered nurse, and other systemic reforms.
It disclosed that 90 per cent of its demands carry no financial implications. Already, the Federal Government said it would be meeting with the leadership of the nurses and doctors today to thrash out all the issues that led to the strike.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister said all the issues that led to the nurses’ strike had been examined, and actions had been taken by the government to address the situation.
He also announced the approval of the Oncology Centre in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, adding that the Tinubu administration “is driving a revolution” in the health sector.
While making the appeal yesterday, the House Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity stressed that the nationwide strike disrupted healthcare services across the country.
NANNM had, on Wednesday, begun a seven-day nationwide warning strike following the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum over poor remuneration, staff shortages, unpaid allowances and unsafe working conditions.
According to the Chairman of the House committee, Adegboyega Adefarati, the Ministers of Labour and Health are actively engaging in dialogue with the leadership of the nurses and midwives to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
Adefarati, who urged the leadership of NANNM to embrace the opportunity for dialogue, stressed that the industrial action should be called off in the spirit of patriotism and commitment to national development.
He said: “The House Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity deeply empathises with Nigerian nurses and midwives over their service concerns and acknowledges their vital roles in safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens.
“However, in this critical period of our nation’s economic transformation, it is imperative that we prioritise the collective interests of all Nigerians. The ongoing nationwide strike has significantly disrupted healthcare services across the country, further straining our health sector.”
While recognising the importance of addressing the legitimate grievances of health professionals, he urged the leadership of NANNM to consider the aggregate interest of all Nigerians.
Speaking to journalists at the opening ceremony of a workshop inAbakaliki, Ebonyi State, the state Chairman of NANNM, Obasi Chukwu, said Ebonyi, which was designated as the host centre for the South-East zone, was playing host to nursing professionals drawn from across the country for the high-level capacity-building training for the effective conduct of professional examinations in nursing and midwifery. He noted that the workshop was part of the Council’s strategy to standardise assessment practices and improve the competence of examiners across the country.
The event was officially declared open by the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Patricia Obila, who represented Governor Francis Nwifuru. Chukwu commended the Nwifuru-led administration for its support for the nursing profession, particularly the upgrade of the state’s School of Nursing to a fully accredited College offering both Nursing and Midwifery programmes, and the construction of a N500 million modern hostel for students.
However, he decried the N20,000 uniform allowance as grossly insufficient and called for systemic reforms, including the establishment of a Directorate of Nursing Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, to be headed by a registered nurse.
The warning strike, which began earlier this week, is expected to last seven days, pending further engagements with the Federal Government. Chairman of the Cross River State chapter of NANNM, Mrs Josephine Bassey, yesterday, while reacting to the seven-day warning strike embarked upon by the association, which began on Wednesday, July 30, explained that most of the demands revolved around administrative issues such as implementing policy papers and enforcing court judgments. She added that another key demand was the gazetting of long-standing approvals by the National Council on Establishments.
“Our demands include the gazetting of the nursing scheme of service approved since 2016 and the creation of a Department of Nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health. Another key demand is the centralisation of internships for nursing graduates,” she said.
She added that other demands include the review of provisional allowances for nurses and midwives, as well as the appointment of nurses to the boards of federal and state health institutions, stressing the urgent need for the employment of more nurses due to severe staffing shortages.
