Health Minister Meets Striking Nurses As Warning Strike Enters Day 4 …NANNM Insists Strike Continues Despite Closed-Door Talks With FG Officials

THE Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, on Friday met with leaders of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and officials from the Ministry of Labour in a bid to end the ongoing nationwide warning strike by nurses and midwives.

The closed-door meeting in Abuja is part of ongoing negotiations following a breakdown in communication between the union and the federal government.

The nurses, who began a one-week warning strike on July 29, say the government failed to respond meaningfully to a 15-day ultimatum issued earlier on July 14, over long-standing issues affecting their welfare and working conditions.

“As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government. That is why the strike is going on, and nothing is stopping it,” said NANNM National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan.

The strike is affecting public health facilities across Nigeria and is scheduled to continue until August 5, unless a resolution is reached.

Nurses’ Demands

NANNM is calling for Upward review of shift and core duty allowance, Adjustment of uniform allowances Creation of a separate salary structure for nurseS, Mass recruitment into the nursing workforce, Establishment of a dedicated nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health

Rilwan stressed that the strike was not the result of a top-down directive, but a collective decision driven by “growing frustration among members over years of neglect.”

Despite Friday’s meeting, there was no official statement from the Ministry of Health at the time of this report regarding any resolutions or concessions.

NANNM has warned that unless its demands are met, further industrial action could follow once the warning strike concludes.