Nurses at the University College Hospital in Ibadan have joined the ongoing seven-day warning strike called by their national body, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
The strike, which started on Wednesday, followed a congress held by the UCH branch of the association. During the meeting, the nurses agreed to stop work in line with the directive from their national headquarters.
The chairperson of the UCH branch, Olufunmilola Faminu, said the strike became necessary after the Federal Government failed to meet their long-standing demands.
According to her, the nurses are demanding the employment of more staff, better working equipment for hospitals, and the creation of a directorate level for nurses in the Federal Ministry of Health.
She also mentioned the need for fair representation of nurses at the ministry, a centralised internship programme, and a review of allowances for nurses and midwives.
“Sadly, we are so concerned about our patients; we don’t intend to leave them stranded without our care,” Faminu said.
“Nurses provide compassionate, competent care across all settings. But we have no choice but to embark on this strike; we appeal to our patients to bear with us.
“This is a just course that we are fighting for. Nurses are the only ones embarking on this strike. There are other healthcare professionals around to attend to any emergency,” she added.
She explained that the strike started at midnight on July 29 and will end on August 5. If their demands are still not met after the warning strike, the union plans to give a 21-day notice before starting a full indefinite strike.
