Nurses and some health workers at the National Hospital Abuja on Monday joined the nationwide indefinite strike called by Organised Labour over the Federal Government’s refusal to increase its new minimum wage offer above N60,000.
Meanwhile, the hospital management has disclosed that it will attend only to emergency cases starting Tuesday if the strike continues.
When The Guardian visited the hospital, only emergency services were being rendered. The usually busy hospital looked deserted, and some patients were seen leaving with their belongings.
The Guardian approached one of the patients moving towards the hospital gate with her pillows, bucket, and other personal effects and asked if she was leaving because of the strike. She replied, “Partially yes, but I am feeling a bit better.”
The Public Relations Officer of the National Hospital, Dr. Tayo Hastrup, told The Guardian that although nurses and some other health workers in the hospital have joined the strike, the hospital is using matrons, midwives, consultants, and directors to fill the gap created in the system.
He said, “When we came this morning, our workers, including the nurses, were on the ground and attending to patients, but they got a directive to join the strike. However, the Matrons and Midwives, the level of Assistant Director, directors, and the top management cadre are not expected to join the strike. Also, the doctors that are on housemanship and consultants will be used to fill the gap because most of the unions have met and may join the strike. Our hospital is still open, and the clinic is running in some areas, but the nurses have been given a directive to participate fully in the strike. So by tomorrow, we will be running skeletal services and will attend only to emergencies.”
The leader of the Nursing Union in the hospital, Comrade Joseph Awujah Akpi, told The Guardian that the union joined the nationwide strike after it received a transmission from the national body and complied.
He noted that the union is not happy with the development, considering the vacuum created by their absence in the hospitals, and urged the federal government to be sensitive enough to look at the issues critically and do what is necessary to bring an end to the strike.
“This strike is very painful and inconvenient. Nobody is happy to go on strike; it is not a happy moment for us. We understand the inconveniences that a lot of people will go through. We appeal to the government to get this matter resolved. The government should be sensitive enough to look at the issues critically and do what is necessary. We are all in this country, and everybody knows what we are going through. You can’t increase a tariff that used to be N65.00 to over N200 and feel that it is right, the same with the minimum wage.”
