By Oluyemi Israel
Nurses at the University College Hospital (UCH), led by Mrs. Olufunmilola Faminu, the branch chairperson of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), have joined a nationwide seven-day warning strike.
The strike officially began at midnight on July 29 and is scheduled to end on August 5.
The nurses decided to strike because the Federal Government failed to meet several important demands.
These demands include hiring more nursing staff to reduce workload, providing better facilities in hospitals, creating a directorate position specifically for nurses at the Federal Ministry of Health, ensuring fair representation of nurses at the Ministry, centralizing internship training for nurses, and reviewing the allowances paid to nurses and midwives.
The decision to start the strike came after a congress meeting held by the UCH nurses and was directed by the national headquarters of NANNM.
Mrs. Faminu explained that although the nurses are concerned about the wellbeing of their patients, they have no choice but to strike in order to push for these important changes.
She asked patients to be understanding during this period and reassured them that other healthcare professionals will be available to attend to emergencies while the strike is ongoing.
If the government does not meet their demands after the seven-day strike, the nurses plan to issue a 21-day ultimatum before possibly moving to an indefinite strike.