Kwara State Council of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, has joined the nationwide warning strike action called by the national body of the association.

The one-week warning strike is in solidarity with the directive of the national secretariat of the association following the continued failure of the Federal government to address longstanding and critical demands affecting the nursing profession in the country, as clearly stated in the communiques released by the national executive council of the association.

A statement by the Kwara State Secretary of the association, Markus Lucas, in Ilorin on Wednesday, said “We as nurses in Kwara state, stand with our colleagues nationwide in pressing for the fulfillment of the demands which include among others, implementation of the National Industrial Arbitration Court judgment of January 27,2012.

Others include upward review of professional allowances for nurses and midwives, adequate employment of nursing personnel and provision of essential health facility equipment and establishment of department of nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The association is also demanding the inclusion of nurses in the leadership and policy making bodies of the health sector as well as fair representation of nurses in federal health institutions in the country.

The demands, the association argued, “are aimed at improving the quality of healthcare delivery, enhancing professional development and ensuring a better welfare system for Nigerian nurses.

“While the national struggle continues, we in Kwara State also face our own peculiar challenges and unresolved issues with the state government,” even as the association commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his efforts and recent approval of a 25 percent salary upward review for nurses in the state.

“However, this is just one of the seven key demands previously submitted to the state government among other critical issues affecting nurses in Kwara State,” the association added.

It listed the issues to include review of entry points for graduate nurses to reflect their level of training and qualifications, career progression pathways for nurses with single qualifications and teaching, call duty and rural allowances for nurses working in undeserved areas among others.

The association asserted that addressing the demands will significantly improve the welfare, motivation, and working conditions of nurses in the state, enhancing healthcare service delivery across Kwara State.