Nurses at FMC Owo begin total strike, refusing to treat patients during seven-day warning action.
They protest poor welfare, stagnant allowances, and years of unmet promises from the Federal Government.
SEE ALSO: Reps Urge Striking Nurses, Midwives to Suspend Action
The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo chapter of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives has declared a complete shutdown of services, vowing not to attend to any patient throughout its ongoing seven-day warning strike regardless of the urgency of medical cases.
The association’s secretary, Mr. Coker Oluwasegun, made this known in an interview on Thursday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stating that the strike is a direct response to the Federal Government’s longstanding neglect of nurses’ welfare.
“It is total compliance no leeway whatsoever,” Oluwasegun said. “The Federal Government has unfairly treated nurses over the years, and this is the time for us to take the bull by the horns.”
He clarified that the strike was not directed at the management of FMC Owo, emphasizing that the Medical Director and his team had already been notified.
Highlighting the poor conditions under which nurses work, Oluwasegun pointed to the stagnant N20,000 annual uniform allowance, which has remained unchanged for over two decades. He also decried the generally low earnings among nurses despite their crucial role in the healthcare system.
“In virtually every allowance category, nurses receive the least, even though we are the backbone of the sector. Patients often blame us for poor outcomes, not realizing we lack basic equipment in most hospitals. The conditions we work in are simply inhumane,” he explained.
Oluwasegun also cited multiple unfulfilled promises from the Federal Government, warning that if their 12-point demands are not addressed, the union will escalate its action.
“Once the warning strike ends, and if there is still no meaningful response, we will give a 21-day ultimatum. After that, an indefinite strike will begin,” he stated.
