Nurses and midwives in Kwara State have joined the nationwide one-week warning strike declared by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
The strike, which began this week, is in response to the Federal Government’s continued failure to address long-standing demands affecting the nursing profession across the country.
In a statement released in Ilorin on Wednesday, the Secretary of the Kwara State NANNM, Markus Lucas, said the state chapter fully supports the national action, which is aimed at pushing for better welfare, fair representation, and improved healthcare delivery.
The nurses are calling for the implementation of a 2012 court judgment by the National Industrial Arbitration Court, upward review of professional allowances, employment of more nursing staff, and better equipment in hospitals.
They are also demanding the establishment of a Department of Nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health, and the inclusion of nurses in leadership and policy-making positions in the health sector.
“While the national struggle continues, we in Kwara State also face our own peculiar challenges,” the statement said.
Though the union praised Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for approving a 25% salary increase for nurses, it stressed that several other critical demands remain unresolved. These include the review of entry levels for graduate nurses, improved career progression paths, and allowances for nurses working in rural areas.
The association insists that meeting these demands will boost the morale of healthcare workers and improve healthcare services across Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole.
The Nigerian health sector has faced repeated calls for reform, with nurses, doctors, and other health workers frequently demanding better pay, working conditions, and infrastructure. The NANNM’s latest action adds to the growing pressure on the Federal Government to improve healthcare delivery and address human resource challenges in the sector.