Nurses and midwives in Plateau State under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses And Midwives have threatened to withdraw their services if the state government fails to protect them from the coronavirus pandemic

The health workers who addressed a press conference in Jos, the state capital, on Saturday accused the state government of exposing them to the risk of the virus by not providing them with personal protection equipment.

The Chairman, NANNAM, Plateau State, Mrs Briskila Dabit, said,

“Everyone knows about the danger of COVID-19 and it will be unfair on the side of government to expose our members to the virus without personal protection equipment.

“We have decided to down tools in all health centres, including hospitals and isolation centres if the state government will not provide our members with the desired protection equipment”

“We need protection if we must serve our fellow citizens as patriots.

“As an association, we are aware of the shortage of PPE in our hospitals and isolation centres. Consequently, we have directed our members not to attend to any patient with a suspected case of coronavirus without PPE.”

But the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Dr Macham Makut, who described the nurses’ threat to withdraw their services as unfortunate, explained that the state government had already purchased about 400 units of personal protection equipment for distribution and is also in the process of producing more locally.