Nurses at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, have joined the nationwide seven-day warning strike declared by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM). The strike began on July 29 and is expected to run until August 5.
The UCH chapter of the association confirmed their participation after a congress meeting on Wednesday. The branch chairperson, Mrs Olufunmilola Faminu, said the decision was in obedience to a directive from the national leadership of the association. She also appealed to patients for understanding.
Nurses Say Government Has Ignored Their Demands
According to Faminu, the Federal Government has repeatedly ignored the demands of nurses. These demands include the employment of more nursing staff, improved facilities across hospitals, fair representation in the Federal Ministry of Health, and the creation of a directorate cadre for nurses.
Other demands made by the nurses include a centralised internship programme, a review of allowances, and better working conditions for both nurses and midwives.
“This is a just cause,” Faminu said. “We are deeply concerned about our patients. We don’t want to abandon them, but we have no choice.”
Nurses Say They Are Overworked and Undervalued
Faminu explained that nurses continue to deliver critical healthcare services under severe pressure, with very little support from the government. She said many nurses are frustrated and feel overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated.
“Nurses provide compassionate, competent care across all settings. But we are stretched thin. This government has refused to treat nurses with the dignity and respect they deserve,” she said.
She added that the strike is not an attack on patients but a cry for help.
“There are still other healthcare professionals around to handle emergencies,” she said.
Nigeria’s Poor Treatment of Health Workers Fuels Brain Drain
The strike has once again raised questions about how Nigeria treats its health workers, especially nurses. Despite being essential to patient care, many nurses are leaving the country due to poor welfare and a lack of support from the government.
Nurses across Nigeria say they are migrating abroad in large numbers because they are no longer willing to work under unsafe and thankless conditions.
Year after year, the government fails to prioritise the health sector, and nurses say this is why they are left with no choice but to walk away.
UCH Nurses Strike Sends Clear Message to Government
The UCH nurses’ strike is not just about wages—it’s about dignity. It’s about being heard. It’s about health workers standing up against a system that has failed them again and again. While the nurses remain committed to their profession, they are clearly tired of empty promises. If the government continues to neglect its own workforce, the consequences will not stop at a seven-day strike, Nigeria may continue to lose its best and brightest to countries that treat them better.
