NURSES in Oyo state have appealed to the state government to see to the plight of health workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho to stem continued exit of workers from the institution.
Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Oyo state, Mrs Rukayat Afonja made this appeal during its Special Nurses Week and Scientific Workshop with the theme: “Evidence-Based Care: A veritable Tool for Excellent Nursing care,” held in Ibadan.
She said the state of affairs in the hospital was epitomized by the fact that workers at LAUTECH hospital had continued to receive half salary for about 20 months, and nurses were on strike.
“Presently, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Ogbomosho is on strike, our nurses are on strike because it is almost 20 months that they have been receiving half salaries. We have tried all we could and have had several meetings with the management and the state government but it had not yielded anything positive.
“With the present situation of the country, they can no longer cope with half salaries. They have families and children to take care of, so they can no longer cope and the hospital has been shut down.
“We are still negotiating every day with both the management and the nurses. We still spoke with the Commissioner for Health and he assured us that he will see the governor and that something will be done on the matter.”
Speaking at the event, Oyo Head of Service, Mr Soji Eniade, avowed that the demands of the nurses were receiving the attention of the state government.
While appreciating the nurses’ perseverance and forbearance, he called for more understanding, patience and restraint owing to the prevailing financial situation in the state.
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