By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Healthcare delivery in Ondo State is gradually heading to a collapse as the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in Ondo State on Monday began a three-day warning strike over half payment of salary by the state government.
Recall that medical doctors had last month commenced indefinite strike action to press home their demands. With the commencement of the strike action by the State nurses and midwives, health care delivery will further be grounded particularly at the state owned hospitals.
It was gathered that no new patient was admitted while the hospital management discharged patients on admission. Wards at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure annex, were empty except for few patients that were yet to be discharged.
According Ondo chairman of NANNM, Comrade Olumiye Kehinde, the warning strike action would end on Thursday after which the association would meet to re-strategies if their demands were not met.
Reacting to the development, the chief medical director of UNIMEDTH Dr. Oluwole Ige described the strike action as a night challenge. He confirmed that new patients were not being admitted at the hospital.
Dr Ige disclosed talks have commenced on steps to resolve the issues so that the striking doctors and nurses could return to work. He called on the doctors and nurses to show understanding as they would still be paid the remaining half salaries, while saying that the cash crunch affected all sectors of the economy.
“It is a big hit but we are talking to the doctors. We held a meeting today (Monday) and hoped that the situation would improve.
“Demands of the nurses included payment of 100percent salary of January 2017, December 2020, January 2021; 20percent balance of December 2016; 50percent November 2020 and commencement of New Salary Adjustment for Local Government Nurses within seven working days,” Ige revealed.