By Zayamu Hassan
The National Assembly has called on nurses and midwives in Nigeria to make more sacrifice for the growth and improvement of the health sector.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Dr Yusuf Tako Sununu, stated this at the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), 2022 International Nurses/Midwives Week and Scientific Session
The session with the theme: “Nurses, a voice to lead: Invest in nurses and respect rights to secure a global future,” was held Monday in Abuja.
The lawmaker, however, applauded them for their sacrifice over the years in the country and called for upward review and release of the circular on the hazard allowance of health workers in the country.
“We call on you to please make more sacrifices. Most of you have the opportunity and the ability to move out of the country to practice in other countries of the world, but you have decided on your own to remain, please couple that decision with ability to improve service delivery.
“I was so happy when I saw through your programme where you are going to discuss on improving nurses-patient relationship. This is the most vital aspect that every health worker must be sure health worker-patient relationship is improved,” he said.
On the hazard allowance, Dr Sununu recalled that the present leadership of the House of Representatives, has over the years continued to champion the review of the hazard allowance of the health workers in the country.
“I quite believe that nurses and other health workers in the country have done a lot of sacrifice and they are currently making the sacrifice.
“The hazard allowance that we are talking about was made clear by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila that this is not acceptable. N5000 as hazard is not acceptable.
“The House has championed the review of that allowance and we have agreed with the executive to liaise with the union so that we can have acceptable allowance.
“For hazard, it requires bilateral approach- government participation and individual. Government cannot provide you with protective devices, you can use your own personal money to buy it to protect yourself. It is the same hazard allowance you will use to do that.
“So, the argument for the review of hazard allowance is germane and we must see to it conclusion.”
Speaking earlier, the President of NANNM, Comrade Michael Nnachi, said that the theme of the conference was to call on the government to recruit more nurses to improve available workforce and to also improve the condition of services of nurses and midwives in Nigeria.
He commended the National Council on Establishment and the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation for giving approval for proper grading of nurses in Nigeria.
