The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has warned the federal government of serious consequences if the salary structure of nurses and midwives is not improved.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the National Executive Council meeting of the association in Abuja.

The communiqué jointly signed by the president of the association, Comrade Lawal Hussain Dutsinma and the General Secretary, Comrade Samson Olayinka Bolawole, said nurses and midwives deserve adequate welfare packages because of the services they render to the society.

The association said it was seriously worried over the Ministry of Health’s decision to keep "sealed lips over the demands of the nurses and midwives for Nurses Salary Structure (NSS) and better working conditions", saying that such silence has the potentials to cause industrial crisis in the health sector.

"The association wants the general public to note that the ongoing negotiations with health professionals does not involve the association and therefore calls on the federal government to direct the ministry to commence negotiations with the association to avert another round of industrial crisis in the health sector," the association said.

The association also stressed the need for the federal government to rescue primary healthcare facilities in the country from what it referred to as "total decay", saying that primary healthcare must be given the desired facilities, personnel and supplies to meet the emerging public health challenges in the country.

On the unified scheme of service for nurses and midwives, the association called on the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to hasten the release of the document in order to retain the services of qualified nurses who are migrating to other countries in search of greener pastures.

The association also expressed dismay over the attitude of the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, for refusing to reinstate staff of the medical centre who were wrongly dismissed despite a court order to that effect, stressing that it will not hesitate to organise an industrial action to compel the management to comply with the court order.

On the recent financial scandal in the Ministry of Health, the association called on the federal government to ensure that all those involved in the act are brought to book in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

	1. 23-05-2008 19:24
	The Neglect of Nursing services The federal government should realise that medical sector are loosing nurses seriosly.They should do everything within their reach to restore Nurses in Nigeria as many of them are trooping out of the country because of poor salary. Guest

Joy N.Onwubiko

	2. 14-04-2008 20:51
	Mr NURSES HAVE BEEN TOO SILENT IN THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR. THE ASSOCIATION SHOULD AT THE SAME TIME EDUCATE ITS MEMBERS ABOUT THE ONGOING STRUGLE AND UNIONISM WITHIN THE PROFESSION AS MANY NURSES CURENTLY ARE NOT AWARE OF ALL THESE STRUGLES  BESIDES WHY ARE NURSES SO MARGINALIZED IN THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR INSPITE OF THE LOT THEY PUT IN Guest

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