Nurses at the Federal Medical Center Asaba Delta State, have stormed the streets in their hundreds to stage a peaceful protest over an alleged non-payment of salaries.
According to them, other issues on the front burner, include what they call the deteriorating state of infrastructure in the various health institutions in the country, the discriminatory and selective implementation of government policies on career progression for nurses and midwives among others.
Chairman National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Federal Medical Center Unit Delta state, Vitowanu Patience, expressing his displeasure stated:
“We lost a member and a skillful nurse to the cold hands of LAASA fever because of poor infrastructure and this has to stop. We say no to the wrong implementation of health policies”
Also giving reason for the protest, a male nurse, Abimaje Adejoh, who is also the Executive Secretary National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Federal Medical Center Unit Delta state, reiterated that the protest is part of the plan to bring authorities in the health sector to a round table discussion.
“For now there’s no ultimatum to the Federal Government, the protest is only a plan A. The Federal Government should do the right thing by giving us what is due to us”
The nurses believe that if the country’s resources are judiciously managed, healthcare delivery system would grow tremendously with the country taking its place among nations in the area of quality health care delivery.
In response, representative of the Chief Medical Director FMC, Fanrobi Abiodun, promised to relay their message back to the Federal Government.
“We have heard your complaints and I assure you that we would do everything we can to relay your message to the federal authorities. I request that you continue to conduct yourself in a peaceful manner,” he said.
