Hospitals across Nigeria were thrown into crisis as nurses and midwives under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) began a seven-day nationwide warning strike, demanding improved welfare, better working conditions, and structural reforms in the health sector.
The strike, which followed a 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government, saw widespread disruption of services in federal hospitals, with patients in critical condition left unattended as nurses withdrew from duty.
From Abuja to Ibadan, Abeokuta to Yenagoa, major public hospitals scaled down operations. At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abuja, long queues formed at outpatient departments as patients waited hours for minimal care. Affected units included immunisation, consultation, and surgery.
Chairman of NANNM at FMC Abuja, Victor Asu, confirmed full compliance. “No nurse is on duty. We’ve resolved not to provide any form of care during the strike,” he said.
In Ibadan, nurses at the University College Hospital (UCH) joined the strike after an emergency congress.
Oyo State NANNM Chairperson, Comrade Olufunmilola Familu, reiterated key demands such as recruitment of more nursing staff, better hospital facilities, establishment of a nursing directorate at the health ministry, and a review of allowances and internship postings.
A similar scene played out in FMC Abeokuta, where anxious families were seen attempting to transfer their loved ones to private hospitals. Some could not afford it.
Pastor Mike, whose mother was affected, lamented: “We’re making arrangements for a private hospital, but it’s expensive. We don’t know how long this will last.”
Mrs. Olufunmilola Adekunle, acting NANNM Chair at the Abeokuta facility, decried the federal government’s inaction.
“We are overworked and underpaid. If nothing changes, the exodus of nurses will worsen,” she said.
In Bayelsa, nurses enforced a full shutdown at public hospitals. At FMC Yenagoa, union leader Liberia Progress outlined a nine-point demand, including gazetting of the nursing scheme of service, implementation of the 2012 Industrial Act, and creation of a nursing department within the health ministry. He emphasized there would be no skeletal services.
The Federal Ministry of Health, in response, held a meeting with union leaders, with Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi urging dialogue over strike action. Talks are scheduled to continue.
The strike has sparked public concern. Former senator Shehu Sani appealed to the government to act swiftly, warning that poor welfare for nurses undermines patient safety.
“If a nurse is angry and struggling, seeking her care becomes dangerous,” he wrote on Facebook.
NANNM warned it would issue a fresh 21-day ultimatum after the warning strike. If unmet, the union threatened an indefinite nationwide strike that could completely paralyze the nation’s healthcare system.
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