Confusion as Nurses Refute FG Announcement, Insist Nationwide Strike Still Ongoing Despite Health Minister’s Statement

 

The ongoing industrial action by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) continues to shake Nigeria's healthcare system, despite the Federal Government’s claim that the strike had been called off. This contradiction between government officials and the leadership of the nurses’ union has further deepened uncertainty across hospitals already grappling with staff shortages.

After a closed-door meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, told journalists that NANNM had reached an agreement with the government, leading to the suspension of its seven-day warning strike. According to him, both parties found common ground on key issues raised by the union, prompting the decision to halt the protest.

However, within hours of the announcement, the union's national leadership dismissed the minister’s statement as inaccurate and misleading. National Chairman of NANNM, Morakinyo Rilwan, in a phone conversation with Daily Trust, refuted claims that the industrial action had ended. He clarified that any official communication to that effect would have to come directly from the association itself.

“If it was the Minister who organized the strike, then he could call it off,” Rilwan stated firmly. “But he didn’t. The strike was declared by the union, and until due process is followed internally, no one outside the association has the authority to suspend or cancel it.”

Rilwan emphasized that while discussions had indeed taken place, there had been no conclusive resolution to the critical demands outlined by the nurses. These include inadequate compensation, unpaid allowances, hazardous working environments, and an alarming shortage of personnel across healthcare facilities.

The union had earlier issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding urgent attention to their long-standing grievances. The government’s failure to act within that window triggered the commencement of the nationwide warning strike on Wednesday. Since then, health services in public hospitals have been significantly disrupted, with patients left stranded and essential care procedures postponed or canceled entirely.

Hospitals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and several other cities have reported severe backlogs due to the absence of nurses. Emergency departments, maternity wards, and primary care clinics are particularly affected, forcing many patients to turn to private health providers or simply stay home.

The federal government had hoped the Abuja meeting would ease tensions within the health sector. Professor Pate expressed optimism while addressing reporters after the session, asserting that the issues raised had been given serious attention and that the ministry was working on long-term reforms to improve working conditions for healthcare workers. However, that optimism appears premature, given the nurses' firm rejection of any claims that the strike had ended.

Members of NANNM across state chapters have continued to picket hospitals and protest in front of government buildings, holding placards and demanding immediate policy action. Several nurses who spoke anonymously stated that morale in the profession has reached a historic low, with many colleagues either resigning or emigrating in search of better working conditions abroad.

A senior nurse at a teaching hospital in the South West described the situation as “a slow death for the profession,” warning that if the government continues to treat frontline workers as expendable, the crisis in the health sector will deepen further.

The current nurses’ strike also comes amid a prolonged face-off between the government and medical doctors. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have, over recent months, expressed similar concerns about welfare, prompting fears of a full-blown health sector shutdown if demands are not urgently addressed.

Healthcare experts and civil society organizations have urged both parties to prioritize the interests of the Nigerian public. They stress that the longer the strike continues, the more lives are put at risk, especially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, the elderly, and children requiring regular care.

Despite pressure, NANNM insists it will not be coerced into prematurely ending the strike. The association is expected to hold an emergency internal meeting to deliberate on the government's latest proposals, but until then, its position remains unchanged.

Unless substantial progress is made in the coming days, Nigeria could witness a deeper breakdown in public healthcare delivery. Many stakeholders believe the ongoing impasse reflects a broader systemic failure to invest in health infrastructure and human resources.

As of now, the strike remains active, with no clear resolution in sight.