By Matthew Denis
The National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Kwara State Chapter has called on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to declare a state of emergency on the health sector to avert industrial action.
The state Chairman of NANNM, Comrade Joseph Ademola Adekanye made the disclosure while delivering an address at the 2019 Nurses Week Celebration and scientific workshop with the theme: “Nurses a Voice to Lead Health for All”, held in Ilorin on Tuesday.
Adekanye described nurses as an engine room through which other health professionals revolve around, adding that the state government should improve the overall welfare of staff in the health sector.
“Without nurses there cannot be any sustainable and successful primary health care system, their relevance in primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions cannot be underrated.
“It will be highly suicidal and unpardonable if I fail to acquaint the government of the fact that our members are collapsing at their work places.
“This is because they are overstressed, overburdened in terms of workload with few hands on ground resulting from diminishing manpower in search of greener pastures, retirements and deaths with no replacement.
“The maternal morbidity and mortality rate could be on the increase in the rural areas if adequate personnel are no more available to handle such specialised care with a yearly 3 per cent population growth.
“The state government should arise to recognise and accord this noble profession their rightful positions in terms of their stipends, general welfare and free medical services.
“They are the most endangered personnel in the clinical setting. Nurses and midwives are migrating to greener pastures due to poor remuneration”, he said.
The chairman appreciated the governor for improved workers emoluments and eradication of percentage salaries adding that it is a right step in the right direction.
In her response, the Head of Service in Kwara, Mrs Modupe Oluwole who represented Governor Abdulrazaq reiterated the state government’s commitment to quality healthcare delivery system.
“I want to urge you nurses to return passion to your work, passion will stand you out. When you are burning with passion for your profession, you cannot but give all that you have.
“I will take your message to the governor and I want to assure you that His Excellency will leave no stone unturned, “she said.
The Head of Department of Community Health, Kwara State University (KWASU), Khadijah Musah who is the keynote speaker at the event spoke on the topic; “Nurses a voice to lead health for all” emphasized that health for all is a fundamental human right and must be accessible to all.
Musah said that health for all requires preventive approach, adding that attitudinal problems constitute the most challenge in the health sector of developing countries.
She blamed the increase in quackery on doctors and nurses who train them and employ nurses without license in their clinics.
She identified some of the causes of quackery to greed and wanting to become a nurse by after failed council examinations. The expert suggested that professional bodies collaborate in curbing the menace of quackery, women empowerment and a health team approach in the health sector, as means of curbing quackery.
