By SHEDRACK FRANK

Public hospitals in Bayelsa State on Wednesday abruptly discharged patients as nurses across Nigeria commenced a seven-day warning strike to demand improved working conditions and welfare.

The strike, declared by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), disrupted normal operations at major public health facilities in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as union leaders monitored compliance.

When the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent visited the Primary Health Centre in Amarata community, the facility remained closed as of 11 a.m.

Locals attributed the closure to the ongoing strike.

At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa, only a few patients were seen wandering around the wards without receiving medical attention.

Some patients said they had been waiting to see doctors since 8 a.m., while others with scheduled appointments were left unattended.

Mr Liberia Progress, Chairman of NANNM at FMC Yenagoa, led the enforcement team at the hospital and confirmed that no skeletal services would be available during the strike.

He stated, ?We have nine key demands. In Nigeria, nurses are discouraged from traveling abroad, yet we are underappreciated at home in spite of our sacrifices.

?We want the government to meet our demands so we can continue to care for our patients effectively.?

Their demands include: Gazetting the revised nursing scheme of service, implementation of the Industrial Act of 2012, upward review of professional allowances for nurses and midwives, and employment of more nursing personnel.

Other demands include adequate provision of medical equipment and facilities, establishment of a Nursing Department within the Federal Ministry of Health, and inclusion of nurses in healthcare policy-making bodies and leadership roles.

Others are appointment of nurses as Health Commissioners in states and centralisation of internship placements for graduate nurses, similar to doctors.

?This is a total shutdown.

?Hospitals have discharged many patients, and the wards are largely empty,? he added.

Also speaking, Mr Amos Ombufa, NANNM National Treasurer for the Federal Health Institution Sector and South-South Zonal Coordinator, confirmed full compliance across federal hospitals in the region.

He said, ?If after this seven-day warning strike our demands are not met, we will issue a 21-day ultimatum.

?If the government still fails to respond, we will proceed on an indefinite strike. Nurses must not relent.?

The Public Relations Officer of FMC Yenagoa, Mr Akpedi Bernard, described the situation as unfortunate.

He explained that the hospital, anticipating the strike, mobilised available doctors and senior nursing staff to offer limited services.

?As the only tertiary federal health facility in Bayelsa, FMC is responsible for more than 70 per cent of healthcare services in the state.

?A strike like this has a serious impact.

?However, we have tried to keep essential services running for critical and emergency cases,? Bernard said. (NAN)

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