The Nigerian government is set to meet today with leaders of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in a bid to end the ongoing nurses’ strike that has severely affected health services across the country.
The strike, now on its third day, started last Wednesday after the nurses’ 15-day ultimatum expired. The ultimatum was given over issues including poor salaries, shortage of staff, unpaid allowances, and unsafe working conditions in hospitals nationwide.
Professor Ali Pate, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, confirmed the planned meeting with the striking nurses to try to resolve the dispute.
Hospitals in many states are struggling with staff shortages, forcing doctors to cover for absent nurses, leading to delays and cancellations of medical services.
Morakinyo Rilwan, president of NANNM, expressed doubts about the talks, saying the government may not meet the nurses’ demands. “Negotiation continues on Friday between the association and the Ministry of Health, but I don’t see any positive outcome. We will do the seven-day warning strike to the end,” Rilwan said.
The strike underscores ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, including low wages and poor working conditions that frontline workers have long protested.
