Healthcare services at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Barnawa, Kaduna State, have experienced severe disruptions following the commencement of an indefinite strike by 128 psychiatric nurses. This action was taken in response to unresolved issues regarding their welfare and career advancement.
The nurses are represented by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which stated that the strike was deemed unavoidable after over two years of what they referred to as neglect by the management of the hospital.
In a statement to the press in Kaduna, Comrade Enwereji Uchechukwu, the unit chairman of the union, indicated that multiple attempts to engage hospital management through formal letters have failed to yield any constructive response.
According to Uchechukwu, letters sent last year addressing urgent welfare and organizational issues went unacknowledged and were not acted upon.
He highlighted that follow-ups revealed that these letters could not be located within official records, suggesting a lack of commitment from management to resolve the issues at hand.
Every one of the 128 regular nurses at the facility is currently participating in the strike, leading to critical staff shortages across various wards.
Uchechukwu raised alarms, stating that the prevailing circumstances pose significant risks to patient safety at the hospital. "In certain wards, one lone local nurse is responsible for as many as 45 patients, which endangers the wellbeing of both patients and staff,” he remarked, while reiterating the union's readiness for dialogue should job security and welfare issues be addressed satisfactorily.
Central to the dispute is the placement of newly hired nurses on the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) 6, as opposed to CONHESS 7, which the union argues is the standard entry level for nursing professionals within federal health institutions.
Uchechukwu emphasized, "The Federal Republic of Nigeria's Scheme of Service stipulates that nurses should start at CONHESS 7. The current situation is inconsistent with the practices of other federal institutions."
The union has also expressed concerns over discrepancies in job titles within the hospital's staffing structure. While the national Scheme of Service categorizes nurses as 'officers', certain nurses within the facility are still classified as superintendents.
Another significant issue raised is the purported elimination of the Principal Nursing Officer rank (CONHESS 11) from the hospital's promotion framework, a change the nurses argue could severely disrupt existing career advancement pathways.
Uchechukwu explained, "Traditionally, one progresses from Nursing Officer to Senior Nursing Officer, followed by Principal Nursing Officer, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, and finally Chief Nursing Officer. The removal of the Principal Nursing Officer position alters this established trajectory."
In response to the strike, Mr. Lucky Abumere, the hospital's Head of Finance and Accounts, acknowledged the operational disruptions and expressed concern about the situation. He noted that prior to the strike, management had been in discussions with the union and that some issues may have been resolved internally.
He pointed out that due to the absence of a governing board, the matter has been escalated to the Federal Ministry of Health for intervention.
Abumere expressed hope that through dialogue and the ministry's involvement, normal services could soon be restored.
In the meantime, patients and their families continue to suffer the consequences of the ongoing crisis, with services at the psychiatric facility in Kaduna remaining severely compromised pending a resolution.
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