Nurses at the State House Medical Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, urged the federal government to improve their welfare package, training and accommodation to address migration of healthcare workers to other countries.

They made the call at the commemoration of the 2024 International Nurse’s Week with the theme “Our Nurses, Our Future: The Economic Power of Care.”

Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, State House chapter, Agenyi Friday, described nurses as pivotal to healthcare services, whose work impacts the well-being of individuals, families, communities and the nation.

He, however, said that inadequate welfare packages, insufficient training and insecurity contribute to their migration to other countries.

He appealed to the government and the hospital management to address the challenges of reducing migration due to “greener pasture” and encourage others to contribute to improving healthcare services.

Mr Friday said, “We solicit support in strategic training for nurses in various specialty courses and if we don’t do that, they will become outdated. Also, it is quite alarming that many are going out of service; some died in active service, and some are searching for greener pastures. The manpower has actually depleted; we call on the management to look into it.

“Some nurses have experienced “one chance” on the way home from work, while some have been robbed; assuming they stay in quarters, such ugly incidents will not happen. They should be accommodated in quarters. We also urge management to constitute a critical care team that will oversee emergency medical services.”

Similarly, Head of Department, Nursing at the SHMC, Thompson-Olatigbe, reiterated the commitment of nurses towards discharging their duties to improve the health and well-being of citizens.

She said, “These dedicated professionals work tirelessly, day in and day out, to provide exceptional care for our community. From the moment we enter a hospital or clinic, nurses are there offering comforting smiles, explaining complex procedures and advocating for the needs of patients. They are the bridge between patients and doctors, ensuring everyone is on the same page and that the path to recovery is clear.”

She appealed to the government to ensure continuous training, improved welfare and accommodation for nurses to address challenges, especially insecurity.

Responding, Adebiyi Funsho, the Permanent Secretary, SHMC, represented by Lukman Kelani, the Director, ICT, appreciated the nurses for their dedication to service.

Mr Funsho assured the nurses that efforts were on to address challenges affecting them, especially in the areas of training, welfare, accommodation and others.

He said, “I implore you to do more because they said the result of good work is more work. So, please do more to enable people to feel comfortable when they come to hospital
to access healthcare.”

Other activities include a sensitisation walk in some strategic locations within the FCT and the unveiling of the sixth edition of the Rising Star Health First nurses magazine.

(NAN)