The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has lamented the increasing danger encountered in the course of discharging their duties in the country.
Besides,the nurses said the pervading insecurity in the land is a disservice to most of them who love to render selfless service to Nigerians.
Nurse Mike Nnachi,the President of the association,who spoke at the flag off ceremony for 2021 International Nurses week in Abuja, said insecurity is one of the challenges hindering the effectiveness of nurses in Nigeria.
He added:”Nurses have become an endangered species, one of the Nurses in Ogun was kidnapped, two are missing in Kaduna, up till now, we don’t know their whereabouts. We are no longer save.
We are touched, we are disturbed that we are no longer safe. A nurse was attacked to the extent of causing clavicle injury. It is important to know that we have high working youths, most of our colleagues retiring and not replaced
“Nurses are vulnerable and have high risk to contact diseases, while adding that many died treating Lasa Fever, Ebola and now COVID-19 thereby creating hardships for their families.
He also advocated the need for the Federal Government to increase the retirement age of nurses from 60 to 70 years,adding that the development was imperative as about 50 per cent of the workforce in healthcare delivery system are nurses and needed to be encouraged and motivated.
“To ensure universal access to health and to ensure Universal Health Coverage is achieved, Nurses should be well motivated and renumerated.Nurses worked under extreme condition, the ratio ought to be 1 to 4 but what is applicable is 1 to 20 and we are not well enumerated. Those who care should also be cared for.
In her remarks,Nurse Veronica Okolo,the Director of Nursing, Federal Ministry of Health, said the COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the role of nurses in Nigeria and the need for practitioners to be adequately remunerated.
She lamented that, several nurses have left the shores of Nigeria for green pastures elsewhere,adding that Nigeria must restrategize to stop the exodus of its medical practitioners.
