Despite assurances from the Federal Government that the ongoing strike by nurses and midwives has been suspended, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has insisted that its members remain on strike.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, had on Friday announced that the association had called off its seven-day nationwide warning strike following what he described as “productive engagements” with the union’s leadership.
But in a sharp rebuttal, NANNM’s National Chairman, Comrade Morakinyo Rilwan, denied the claim, stressing that the strike had not been suspended and that due process must be followed before such a decision can be made.
“If it was the Minister who organized the strike, then he could call it off,” Rilwan said in a phone interview with Daily Trust.
“As far as I’m concerned, the strike organized by the association is still ongoing. The Minister didn’t organize the strike, so he doesn’t have the authority to call it off. There are procedures to follow.”
The strike, which commenced on Wednesday, July 30, has crippled services in major hospitals and healthcare centres across the country. It was declared after a 15-day ultimatum issued to the federal government expired without concrete action.
NANNM is protesting what it describes as worsening conditions for its members, including poor remuneration, acute staff shortages, unpaid allowances, and unsafe working environments.
The nurses’ industrial action adds to growing tension in Nigeria’s health sector, already grappling with strikes and threats of strikes by other professional groups including resident doctors and medical consultants.
Health workers and stakeholders have expressed concern over the government’s handling of the crisis, warning that continued neglect could trigger a collapse of the already strained healthcare delivery system.
“This government must stop playing politics with the lives of Nigerians,” said a nurse who spoke anonymously from the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. “We are exhausted and frustrated. We didn’t join this profession to become beggars.”
As of Saturday morning, many hospitals across the country continued to operate skeletal services, with patients turned back or left unattended in emergency wards.
Efforts to reach the Ministry of Health for clarification were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The warning strike is part of a broader campaign by NANNM to compel the government to honour past agreements and improve welfare packages for nurses and midwives.
Similar demands have been tabled repeatedly over the years, but successive administrations have failed to meet them, leading to recurring strikes and mass migration of healthcare workers abroad.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
