By; ISAAC ODEH, Kaduna
The Federal Health institutions of Nurses and Midwives Sector has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government to address long standing demands of the association.
National Chairman of the Association, Morakinyo Olajide- RIlwan told New Nigerian in Kaduna on Thursday September 5 that the association is in support of the ultimatum given by their parents body to the federal government.
” The Federal Health Institutions Nurses And Midwives support the ultimatum given by our parent body to yield to the request of Nigeria Nurses and failure to do that , the entire nurses in all about 60 federal health institutions in Nigeria will commence strike on expiration of the about ultimatum.
” Our mother body gave a ultimatum last two days and we are giving ours today’s to support them,” he said.
He said the association demands included :Creation of Department of Nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health, Upward review of peculiar professional allowances for Nurses and Midwives and Inclusion of Nurses in the Health Policy-making body.
Others included Gazetting of Nurses’ Schemes of service as approved by the NCE in 2016, Minna, Niger state (copy attached),Implementation of the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment of 27th January, 2012(Suit No, NIC/ABJ 16/2020), payment of owed salaries to the staff of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (N&MCN) since January 2024 till date.
He added that the association demands also included Opening of Verification portal for Nurses and Midwives without any further delay,Employment of Nursing Personnel and adequate provision of health facility equipment.
” We also need a fair representation by the Association in the Board membership of Tertiary Health Institutions,Centralization of internship posting for graduate Nurses and Consultancy for Nurses .
” In addition, the wrong impression that government is giving to the generality of Nigerians that there are shortage of Nurses in Nigeria is false.
“This is evidenced by the presence of several nurses that are unemployed in the circulation while many are languishing in private hospitals , taking peanuts as salary because Federal government refused to employ them to replace those that travelled out of the country.”
