Nigerian Nurses at FMC Owo Join Nationwide Strike, Vow to Shun Emergency Cases
Healthcare services at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, Ondo State, have come to a halt as nurses join the ongoing nationwide strike organized by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
The nurses say the industrial action is a response to years of neglect and poor treatment by the Nigerian government.
In a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Coker Oluwasegun, secretary of the NANNM chapter at FMC Owo, confirmed that nurses will not attend to any patients — including emergency cases — throughout the seven-day warning strike.
“The Nigerian government has unfairly treated nurses over the years. It’s time we take the bull by the horns,” Oluwasegun declared.
He clarified that the protest is not aimed at FMC Owo’s management, who were informed in advance about the strike. Instead, the focus is on long-standing issues with the federal government.
Key Grievances Highlighted:
- Uniform allowance has remained at ₦20,000 per year for over two decades.
- Nurses receive the lowest allowances among healthcare professionals.
- Lack of equipment and poor working conditions, often leading to misdirected blame from patients.
“There’s no equipment to work with in many hospitals. Patients think we’re the problem, but we’re doing our best in a broken system,” Oluwasegun lamented.
The nurses have issued a 12-point demand to the government. If unmet by the end of the warning strike, they plan to escalate the action.
“If our demands are not met, we’ll resume after this warning strike and issue a 21-day ultimatum, after which an indefinite strike will begin,” Oluwasegun warned.
This protest is part of a broader nationwide action by nurses across Nigeria, calling for better welfare, fair allowances, and improved working environments.
