Nurses belonging to the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have staged a protest against the management of the Federal Medical Centre in Idi Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The nurses expressed their dissatisfaction with what they described as terrible working conditions.

During the protest held on Wednesday, the health workers highlighted issues such as work overload and an unfavorable work environment that had caused some of their members to collapse on duty. They also raised concerns about a shortage of manpower and alleged exclusion from the 2023 promotion exercise conducted in the institution.

The nurses, in their peaceful demonstration within the hospital premises, emphasized that if no action was taken to alleviate their suffering, they would resort to more assertive measures.

During the protest, the aggrieved workers sang solidarity songs and carried placards bearing messages such as “Stop Selective Promotion,” “Nurses Workload is Enough for Promotion,” and “Nurses’ Lives Matter,” among others.

NANNM’s National President, Michael Nnachi, had previously lamented the loss of over 75,000 members to other countries due to poor wages and unfavorable working conditions in Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Olufimilola Adekunle, the chairman of the NANNM chapter at FMC Abeokuta, stated that over 200 nurses from the hospital had relocated abroad. She added that less than 300 nurses remained to care for the numerous patients who visit the hospital daily. 

Adekunle expressed concern about the exhaustion and excessive workload faced by the nurses due to the acute shortage of manpower in the hospital. She mentioned plans to merge some wards and units due to the overwhelming circumstances.

The chairman called on the government to intervene, emphasizing the need for fair compensation and the protection of their rights. She warned that if the situation did not improve, the nurses would take further action, including a potential work stoppage.

In response to the protest, Dr. Kunle Adediran, the Head of Clinical Services at the hospital, explained that the issue of promotion was beyond the management’s control. He stated that promotions for nurses are dependent on the directives from the Federal Ministry of Health. However, he assured that the hospital would communicate the developments to the Federal Government.

Adediran acknowledged that all employees of the hospital, including the management, must adhere to government directives, indicating that decisions regarding promotions are not solely within their jurisdiction.