The management of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna has said that it is committed to saving lives in spite of the ongoing strike action by the local chapter of National Association of Nigeria Nurses And Midwives(NANNM).
In a statement signed by the Head of Information and Protocol, Usman Toma Haruna, the management argued that ‘’the primary responsibility of any medical professional is to save lives but NANNM officials, by their conduct, have shown that their welfare is more paramount than ethics.’’
The statement noted that the NANNM local chapter of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna has embarked on a strike action over stagnation and non-promotion of some of its members.
‘’Before the strike, the Top Management Committee (TMC) of the hospital met with the leadership of the union twice, to resolve their grievances. They had explained that the issue is beyond the management because it is an establishment matter
‘’The TMC told them that the hospital currently does not have a board so it is the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Office Of Head Of Service, that can statutorily address the issue,’’ the statement noted.
According to Malam Usman, TMC had pleaded with the unionists to shelve the strike action, adding that all its plea ‘’fell on deaf ears as the local chapter of NANNM did not heed to their counsel.’’
The statement disclosed that the Medical Director, Prof Aishatu Yushau Armiyau, took steps to prevent grounding of the entire hospital, by making ‘’arrangements for nurses to man the dialyses centre which serves infectious disease patients in the entire Kaduna State and neigbhouring States.’’
‘’NANNM officials tried to sabotage the temporary arrangement which will ameliorate the suffering of patients, by threatening the nurses to abandon the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital. The patriotic nurses stood their ground and offered services to the sick,’’ it added.
The statement disclosed that the state leadership of NANNM trespassed into the hospital in order to actualise their threat of disrupting services, to address a press conference.
‘’Much as it is the right of NANNM officials to go on strike to press for their members’ demands, following due process, it is very wrong to threaten nurses who volunteered to work at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna, to save lives.
‘’The primary responsibility of any medical professional is to save lives but NANNM officials, by their conduct, have shown that their welfare is more paramount than ethics,’’ the statement reminded.
Malam Usman pointed out that the Management of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna is open to dialogue but will not compromise its duty to save the lives of ordinary Nigerians who have no alternative medical facility.
