Nurses’ strike: Adeoyo Hospital discharges patients, halts admissions
Adeoyo Hospital in Ibadan has discharged most of its in-patients following the commencement of a nationwide strike by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which began on Wednesday.
The seven-day warning strike was called over the Federal Government’s failure to address several long-standing demands, including a review of shift and uniform allowances, the creation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowances, mass recruitment, and the establishment of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.
A visit to the hospital by a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent revealed that many wards were empty, with only a few critically ill patients remaining — and no nurses on duty to care for them.
One of the affected relatives, Mr. Adegoke Rahman, whose mother recently underwent leg surgery, expressed concern over the lack of nursing care. “The doctors are doing what they can, but my mother cannot walk or stand, and there are no nurses here to help,” he said.
Mr. Samuel Biyi, an outpatient, also lamented being left unattended while seeking treatment for a painful leg wound.
A doctor at the hospital, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that while doctors and some other medical personnel remain on duty, the hospital has stopped admitting patients due to the strike. He said patients requiring critical care were being referred to private facilities.
According to him, the patients who were admitted as of Tuesday were discharged in anticipation of the industrial action.
The Oyo State chapter of NANNM has confirmed full compliance with the strike directive. The state secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Aina, said in a statement that the decision followed a resolution reached during an emergency National Executive Council meeting and instructions from the association’s national headquarters.
