End Strike, minister begs as nurses’ industrial action grounds hospitals in states

The Federal Government has appealed to the nurses and midwives to call off the seven-day warning strike.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made the appeal after a meeting with the leadership of the association on Wednesday.

According to spokesman of the ministry Patience Onuobia, the minister implored the association to step back from the action, saying that a strike was not the best solution to industrial disputes.

“The minister urged the association to embrace dialogue while the government continues to work on addressing their concerns,”” she said.

The meeting continues today (Thursday) while the government works out a resolution to the dispute.

Hospitals and health centres across Nigeria have been gripped by silence as a nationwide strike emptied wards and emergency units due to nurses’ strike.

The nationwide strike by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have crippled healthcare services across multiple states.

The industrial action has also led to widespread disruption across health facilities in the country as patients were discharged due to a shortage of nurses, many hospital wards were deserted, skeletal services operated in some areas, while others were completely shut down.

Overwhelmed by patient loads, the few available medical staff members struggled to maintain basic operations.

NANNM is demanding improved staffing, better facilities, and recognition in healthcare decision-making.

Recall that the association on July 10 issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government.

Some of the demands include creation of a department for Nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health; shift duty allowance for nurses at 30 per cent consolidated; 20 per cent specialist allowance; upward review of uniform allowance of N300,000 per annum; constitution of Governing Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN); constitution of board of Federal Health institutions to reflect fair representation of nurses.

Unlike doctors who frequently go on strike, the strike by the nurses is the first time in more than 40 years.