As early as 8am, yesterday, the Kwara State chapter of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), nurses and laboratory attendants abandoned their duty posts to embark on an indefinite strike.
The industrial action paralysed health care service delivery as patients are now being turned back by government hospitals.
Due to the shortage of manpower and unavailability of nurses and other health workers at General Hospital, the Civil Service Clinic and the Sobi Specialist Hospital, all in Ilorin, relatives are now being restricted to taken their ailing siblings to private hospitals for medical attention.
At the Civil Service Clinic, GRA, the male and female wards were under lock and key around 3pm, yesterday.
Speaking with a nursing mother at the eyes clinic, Mrs. Faoziyat Ibrahim, she decried the situation as there are only few medical doctors to attend to patients.
“As you can see, we have been told there is no one to attend to us because the nurses are on strike. The situation is already affecting me and I hope they find a solution to the crisis soon,” she lamented.
At the accident and emergency unit, only three staff were available. Efforts to speak with the Medical Director of the facility proved abortive as our reporter was told he was not around.
It was a similar situation at the General Hospital Ilorin as the registration section was deserted.
Speaking with this medium yesterday on the development, the Chief Medical Director, General Hospital Ilorin, Prof. Abdulfatah Olokoba lamented the situation adding that, “here, it is only the nurses that are on strike; other health workers like doctors, pharmacies, health information officers and laboratory officers are on duty, attending to patients. Though, I must admit there is a drop in hands.
“The nurses are agitating for two things; first they are asking for an adjustment in their existing salary scale which is 50 per cent, to a full implementation to make it 100 per cent.
“They are also demanding for an increase in the numbers of health workers employed in the state saying the existing numbers are being over worked.
“You will recall that health workers under the umbrella of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), which usually comprises of all health workers exclusive of the medical doctors, commenced their nationwide strike last week at the federal hospitals which have hampered health delivery.
“Over the years workers at the state level had always joined them in sympathy strike. However, the nurses within the Kwara union put some request forward which the government has already looked into prior to their decision to go on strike last Friday.”
Olokoba stated that the state government was proactive in meeting the demands of the nurses adding that negotiation is ongoing with the union.
“As far as an employee and employers issue is concern, labour would always have one request or the other from the government which the government too will have to agree on. So, it is an issue of give and take,” he stated further.
According to him, in order to attend to incoming patients, some of the patients earlier admitted with lesser health issues were discharged.
Speaking with some of the patients at the facility, they complained on delay in attending to their medical needs.
Recall that the MHWUN had given the state government, a 19-day-ultimatum to meet their demands.
Attempt to get the reaction of the Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Health, Mr Olaitan Adefila was futile as his mobile phone was switched off as at the time of filing this report
