The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM)

  • JOHESU commences nationwide indefinite strike

    The Joint Health Sector Union ( JOHESU ) says it has commenced nationwide indefinite strike in earnest.

    Mr Obisesan Oluwatuyi, General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals ( NUAHP ) disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Oluwatuyi said that they would not call up the strike until government meets their demands.

    He said: “The soldiers have been let loose, no retreat, no surrender until government does the needful”.

    Members of the JOHESU had earlier threatened to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike beginning on Tuesday midnight due to alleged Federal Government’s failure to meet their demands.

    Mr Josiah Biobelemoye, President of the union, who issued the strike notice on Monday, attributed the industrial action to what he described as the “insensitivity and lackadaisical attitude of drivers of the health sector’’.

    He directed all JOHESU members in federal health institutions across the country to commence the strike at midnight of April 17.

    Biobelemoye listed their demands to include upward adjustment of CONHESS Salary Scale, arrears of skipping of CONHESS 10 and employment of additional health professionals.

    Other demands are implementation of court judgments and upward review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

    Biobelemoye, who said that the union suspended its last nationwide strike on Sept. 30, last year, after signing a Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTS), with the federal government.

    According to him, the MOTS was supposed to be implemented within five weeks after the date of suspension of the strike.

    He, however, noted that six months after the suspension of the nationwide strike, government was yet to do anything tangible over the pending issues.

    According to him, the union had on Feb. 5 given a fresh 21 days ultimatum to enable government meet the agreement reached.

    The JOHESU president stated that the union gave an additional 30 working days effective from March 5, after the expiration of the earlier 21 days ultimatum.

    Biobelemoye, who described the union members as peace lovers, emphasised that the 45 days was given simply because the union had the interest of the masses at heart.

    “It is disheartening to note that after six months of suspension of our last strike and still counting, the Federal Government has not done anything tangible over pending issues especially on the flagship issue of CONHESS adjustment and payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 skipping.

    “JOHESU as a mature and responsible organisation gave 21 days notice on Feb. 5, this year, in the first instance to enable the Federal Government to do the needful.

    “At the expiration of the 21 days notice, the leadership of JOHESU reconvened to re-appraise the situation on ground and noted the lackadaisical attitude of the government toward the implementation of the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement signed on Sept. 30.

    “On April 5, 2018, the Minister of Labour and Employment invited the leadership of JOHESU for a meeting wherein we were told that our issues were still being looked into, this shows that government is taking JOHESU for a ride,’’ he said.

    Biobelemoye urged members at the states and local government health institutions on continuous sensitisation and mobilisation for possible solidarity strike, if government failed to attend to their demands.

    He also called on well-meaning Nigerians including traditional leaders, elder statesmen, opinion leaders and general public to prevail on government to implement MOTS entered into with JOHESU on Sept. 30, 2017.

    Biobelemoye explained JOHESU members were not clamouring for equality with doctors but equity and justice, advising medical doctors and the Federal Ministry of Health to change their perception of the demands.

    JOHESU draws its membership from the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives ( NANNM ), Medical and Health Workers Union ( MHWUN ), and Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals.

    Others include Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals and Non-academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutes.

    NAN

  • Nurses call for inclusion in FG’s health policy formulations

    Nurses call for inclusion in FG’s health policy formulations

    The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives ( NANNM ) has called for its inclusion in the formulation of Federal Government’s health policies.

    The National President of NANNM, Mr AbdulRauf Adeniji, made the call on Wednesday in Ibadan in an interview.

    He said that inclusion of nurses in policy formulations would give the professionals a sense of belonging and lead to improved services in the health sector.

    According to Adeniji, there is a lot of unhealthy rivalry within the health sector between major players, adding that this must be stopped before it lead to disruption of activities.

    “The health sector is bedeviled with a lot of challenges that we are all living witnesses to. This in-fighting was caused by lack of inclusion of nurses in policy formulations.

    “This in-fighting has plagued the sector with all manners of industrial strikes and counter strikes among key players of the health sector.

    “This has not allowed the glittering aspect of the health sector to manifest in Nigeria. The federal government has to go back to the drawing board and begin to adjust.

    “The role of the nurses is pivotal in the health sector. How can a key player be left out in the scheme of things.

    “We understand that health care delivery system entails working in collaboration with others to meet the objectives of giving care.

    “We adhere to the rules of relationship in all ramification. So nurses should never be seen as errand persons among health workers,” he said.

    The president listed other challenges facing the sector to include: underfunding, lack of infrastructure, salary delays and salary shortfalls and cancellation of training programmes for nurses.

    Adeniji also tasked the legislative arm of government on health care laws that would take consumer rights into consideration.

    “Consumer right is not adequately protected in Nigeria and healthcare consumers do not see themselves as stakeholders,” he said.

    According to Adeniji, nursing has come a long way and nurses should continue to avoid distractions from the good foundation of past nursing heroes.

    “They should nurture the foundation of nursing which our predecessors laid and view trends in nursing for innovations and breakthroughs.

    “This will be a springboard for the much sort after professional excellence in nursing and midwifery,” he said.

    NAN

  • Edo raises committee on accreditation of Nursing, Midwifery School

    Edo raises committee on accreditation of Nursing, Midwifery School

    Edo State Government has set up a committee to work out modalities for the re-accreditation of the state owned School of Nursing and Midwifery.

    The committee is also to ensure that the school become a world class institution.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki who stated this when he received executive members of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said the accreditation must be done before the end of September.

    Obaseki promised to collaborate with members of NANNM to make the state a hub for Nursing and Midwifery.

    His words, “I believe that when we reposition the school will be able to train our people to address quackery in the state and raise the standard of health in the state.

    “A lot of work is begin to reposition the healthcare system in the state. We will do the right thing to put the State back on track in terms of health.”

    Chairman of NANNM, Mrs. Catherine Eseine, highlighted their challenges to include quackery and discrimination against Nurses in headship of Primary Health Care as coordinators in the local government.

     

  • Vaccines: Nurses want resuscitation of research centers

    The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), have urged the Federal Government to equip health facilities with adequate vaccines to help increase the rate of immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases.

    The association also advocated for compulsory immunisation of all health workers.

    Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, Chairman, NANNM, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Chapter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

    She spoke against the backdrop of the 2017 World Immunisation Week which ended on April 28.

    NAN reports that World Immunisation Week takes place annually during the last week of April.

    It is a global public health campaign aimed at raising awareness on the importance of immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases and its role in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

    The week, which is also aimed at increasing the rates of immunisation has the theme for 2017 as “Vaccines Work’’.

    Adelaja said: “Some of the vaccines used in the country are expensive because they are imported.

    “Government should resuscitate our research centers and fund them adequately; this way, they can do more research by using plants that are available in the country to invent vaccines.

    “Such invented vaccines can be available, affordable and effective in combating these diseases.

    “The funds allocated for vaccines by governments are not enough and the funds donated by NGOs are mismanaged by the people in charge; either by diverting the fund or procuring the ones that are almost expiring.

    “Also, government at all levels should provide adequate protective medical consumables and gadgets to both federal and state hospitals, as well as primary health centres’’.

    She said there was need to sensitise health officers on vaccines and immunisation, as well as get them to be immunised.

    “Health workers should be adequately sensitised and be given necessary vaccination as at when due to protect them, their families and all citizens.

    “They are on the field and are at risk of contracting diseases.

    “Most of the health officers engaged for immunisation do not have adequate knowledge about the cold chain system and the importance of vaccines.

    “They also lack the knowledge of maintenance of proper cold chain, thereby reducing the potency of the vaccines; this is majorly because quacks or incompetent staffs are recruited to administer the vaccines.’’

    Adelaja condemned some unwholesome practices by some health officers.

    “There are also sharp practices that need to be stopped; some health officers collect vaccines from health centres and sell to private hospitals.

    “Some even hide somewhere to fill the forms with fake names and information which they present as the report or statistics.

    “These have to be identified and addressed,’’ she said.

    Also speaking, Mr Olurotimi Awojide, Chairman of NANNM, Lagos State Chapter, said that the major challenges facing immunisation in Nigeria were misconceptions in some parts of the country.
    According to him, most people were not well educated on the importance and need to be immunised.

    He condemned the practice where parents withheld their children and did not present them for immunisation.

    “The aim of the immunisation is to ensure a global infection-free society, especially in children.

    “Immunisation is a process of ensuring that children become resistant to infection agents which is usually achieved through the use of vaccines.

    “Governments, especially our donors are trying their best to ensure that children are immunised against all childhood killer diseases.

    “We still need more funds for the vaccines, competent staff and more awareness on the benefits of immunisation , especially in children.’’

    Awojide appealed to health workers in charge of vaccination to always be guided by the ethics of the profession to achieve an infection-free society.

    “I am appealing for this, based on unconfirmed anti-professional activities of some health workers.

    “The outbreak of meningitis and its attendant loss of lives should be a great lesson for all of us.

    “ People should seek medical attention on time for prompt treatment and to prevent the spread of diseases.

    “Apart from immunisation, we should also maintain good environmental and personal hygiene,’’ Awojide said.