Katsina State Government has met with representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) to avert a looming services withdrawal in security-prone local government areas of the state.

The association had on Tuesday threatened to stop rendering services in hospitals and healthcare centres located in security-prone LGAs due to the incessant killing and abduction of its members.

The association had given midnight of Thursday, January 30, as the deadline for the state government to meet their demands or have the services of their members withdrawn in the affected areas.

Their demands included boosting security around hospitals and healthcare centres in the security-prone LGs, assistance in the rescue of members abducted by kidnappers, compensation for those affected by insecurity, and better remuneration to attract more health workers.

As a way of averting the withdrawal of the service, the state government, through the state’s Commissioner of Health, Musa Adamu, met with representatives of the association to discuss their demands.

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Speaking shortly after the meeting, Adamu expressed optimism that the looming services withdrawal may no longer hold, as their demands were being addressed.

He said about 85 per cent of what the association demanded had been met by the government, especially the deployment of additional security personnel to hospitals and healthcare centres in security-prone councils.

Adamu said a meeting held with relevant government ministries had seen to the implementation of special security measures in health facilities, including the installation of CCTV cameras. However, details of the measures would remain confidential due to their sensitive nature.

He said the demand for more manpower by the association had recently been attended to with the placement of advertisements for the recruitment of 360 health workers, including nurses and midwives.

On NANNM’s demand for better remuneration, the commissioner said the state’s package in terms of salaries was among the best in the country.

He, however, said the state government does not negotiate with terrorists and may not be able to do much in the rescue of members of the association who were abducted by gunmen.