THE STRIKE OF NURSES AND MIDWIVES
Health workers need adequate attention
The nationwide strike by members of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has almost crippled the public health sector with many hospitals across the country either discharging patients or providing only skeletal services. Although it was suspended last night, this frequent face-off between health workers and government at all levels has not only left an indelible stain on the image of the country but has also brought untold hardship to many Nigerians. Therefore, beyond the resolution of the current crisis, machinery must also be put in place to address other issues that give rise to these endless strikes in critical social sectors.
In a country where more than half of the population live below the poverty line, being able to access healthcare at the public hospitals remains critical. Unfortunately, as soon as the strike began last Wednesday, there were reports that some public hospitals had to discharge patients so that their families could move them ‘elsewhere’ for adequate treatments. The elsewhere, of course, meant private hospitals for those who could afford them or taking the patients home to die for those who could not. Considering the roles of nurses and midwives, especially in primary healthcare, this strike should have been prevented, even as we hope that sufficient lessons have been learnt to prevent a recurrence.
It is recalled that the NANNM had on 10th July issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government while promising a seven-day warning strike should their demands be ignored. Some of these demands include shift duty allowance for nurses; specialist allowance; upward review of uniform allowance of N300,000 per annum; payment of teaching allowance; upward review of call duty allowance; payment of peculiar excess workload and burnout allowance, and many more. The nurses and midwives are also demanding the establishment of some bureaucracies within the health sector.
We fully support the aspirations of the nurses and midwives regarding the issue of welfare and recognition of their contribution to an efficient healthcare system in the country. We also share their frustrations about depleting membership as many of their peers seek greener pastures abroad. However, we are of the view that strikes will not resolve the list of grievances they have highlighted. The challenges of the health sector are enormous at a time of dwindling resources, hence would require all stakeholders to come together for sustainable solutions. As previous cases have proven, parties would still return to the negotiating table after several lives have been lost.
Following a meeting with the union on Friday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, the union announced yesterday that the strike has been suspended. “Nurses and midwives are to resume duty immediately,” the association’s National President, Haruna Mamman, and General Secretary, T.A. Shettima, confirmed in a circular. But beyond addressing the current strike, the federal government needs to urgently improve the quality of lives of healthcare professionals by making deliberate efforts in that direction. This will not only help to reduce brain drain and medical tourism—two ‘monsters’ that should easily be blamed on insensitivity of government—but also help in the bid to revamp the health sector in the country.
We sympathise with health workers in the country who operate under very difficult conditions and serious financial constraints. However, what has become rather worrisome is that strikes have suddenly taken the centre stage of our national life. While refusal to work has been universally recognised as a tool available to demand a better work environment or the enhancement of wages, the frequency of these strikes in virtually all sectors of the nation’s life is now posing serious threat to our socio-economic development. We urge the authorities to put in place machinery to seriously address issues that give rise to these endless strikes, especially in critical sectors like health and education.
