The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Federal Health Institution Sector (NANNM-FHI), have called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the health sector.
The association made the call in a statement issued by its National Public Relation Officer, Mr Aliyu Shehu, in Abuja.
The association argued that such action was needed to resolve the issues hampering health administration, practice, headship, representation, benefits and welfare of all stakeholders in the sector.
It noted that the resolution of contentious issues with members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) would open up a chain of industrial actions by other unions and associations in the health industry.
NANNM said that the issues it presented to government predated those of NARD, which the Federal Ministries of Health and Labour ignored in spite of court judgments.
The association listed some of their demands to include chronic shortage of both general and specialised manpower in the various institutions.
Others included inadequate provision of medical consumables and services, stagnation, re-designation and demotion of our members.
It also called for restoration of payment of teaching allowance to deserving members and payment of arrears owed from 2011 to date in most hospitals.
“Non-payment of uniform allowance owed from 2008 till date in some hospitals, non-payment of arrears of relativity allowance and non-deduction and non-remittance of union dues by some hospital managements are also included,’’ it said.
It added that the union had engaged the two federal ministries of health and labour as well as other relevant agencies severally on the above issues.
NANNM therefore called on the government to do the needful within the window period to avoid industrial disharmony as the patience of its members was already over-taxed.
The association urged the Presidency and National Assembly to beam its searchlight on the administration of health in this country.
It however cautioned that the association should not be held responsible for any breakdown in services.
