The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has suspended its nationwide warning strike, four days after it commenced the strike over poor welfare, stagnated allowances, and staffing shortages, among others. The strike was suspended on Saturday following a virtual meeting of NANNM’s National Executive Council (NEC).
Nurses in public hospitals had gone on a ‘warning strike’ on July 29, demanding higher pay, better working conditions and increased staffing.
The decision comes after negotiations with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Office of the Head of Service, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Office of the Accountant General, the National Salaries and Wages Commission, and other relevant stakeholders to address its members’ demands.
The Assistant Secretary-General of the association, Chidi Aligwe, confirmed the suspension to the press on Saturday, saying, “The strike has been suspended. Nurses and midwives are to resume duty immediately.”
A circular signed by NANNM’s National President, Haruna Mamman, and General Secretary, T.A. Shettima, stated that the NEC resolved to suspend the action after an extensive review of the Memorandum of Understanding and the agreed time-bound implementation framework.
The circular also added that the federal government has shown commitment to addressing the association’s nine-point demands, which include upward review of shift and uniform allowances, a new salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass recruitment, and the establishment of a Department of Nursing Services within the Federal Ministry of Health.
“In view of the formal agreement reached, and in line with the principle of dialogue and good faith, NEC hereby suspends the ongoing nationwide strike action with immediate effect,” the circular read.
NEC has also directed all state chapters of the association to mobilize members for immediate resumption of work, and has cautioned against any form of victimization of striking nurses, including interns and locum staff. It reiterated NANNM’s commitment to defending the welfare and professional dignity of nurses and midwives across the country.
The seven-day warning strike was declared by the NANNM-Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) after the federal government failed to act on a 15-day ultimatum issued on 14 July.
During the week, PREMIUM TIMES Nigeria visited several public hospitals in Abuja and Lagos to assess the impact of the strike. Across multiple facilities, outpatient units were shut, with reports of cancelled or rescheduled appointments, and patients were turned away due to reduced staffing.
In some hospitals, nurses who remained on duty said they were only attending to critical cases, while others relied on temporary staff to manage basic services.
Patients expressed frustration over the disruptions and uncertainty surrounding their healthcare.
The Nurses’ union said in a statement Saturday that the strike was being called off following a deal with Nigeria’s government.
In the statement, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives said that the government had responded to their demands and provided “clear timelines” for honoring them. Before the agreement, the nurses had threatened to resort to an indefinite strike.
The strike was suspended following a meeting with officials from the ministries of health and Labour.
Government hospitals in Nigeria often suffer strikes by medical workers, paralyzing work for days.
It is alleged that Government hospitals in Nigeria are severely underfunded and understaffed. Many medical workers often leave for greener pastures in foreign countries.
Additional Sources: Premium Times Nigeria, Africa News
