Implement 25 percent salary upward review, nurses tell state govs

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives has called on the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to implement the 25 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure and hazard allowance.

The association also called on state governments to implement revised call duty allowance in their respective civil services for nurses and expedite actions in the implementation of the CONHESS to encourage nurses to stay back in the country to render services to the people.

NANNM made the appeal in a communique issued on Sunday at the end of its two-day National Executive Council quarterly meeting in Abuja.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had in July 2023 approved the review of CONHESS for health workers in the Federal Public Service to tackle brain drain and guarantee industrial harmony.

CONHESS is a salary structure for pharmacists, medical laboratories, nurses, and other health workers in the health sector of the Federal Public Service.

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The communiqué read in part: “The NEC-in-session frowned at the non-implementation of an enhanced salary structure for nurses in the country among other issues ranging from the establishment of departments of nursing services in the federal ministry of health raised by the association to the government in different platforms and offices.

“The NEC, therefore, appealed to the federal government to urgently look at these issues to forestall industrial disharmony.

“NEC in session lauded the federal government on the approval for the engagement of health fellows in the primary health centers across the 774 local government areas of the federation and called for the inclusion of nurses and midwives in the programme as the main stakeholders and generators of data in such facilities.”

NANNM also called on states and local governments that are yet to implement 100 percent CONHESS to do so without delay.

“The NEC-in-session further expressed worry in the gross depletion of specialised nurses in health facilities of the federation and called on the nurses in diverse specialty areas in the profession for improved quality of care to the citizens seeking healthcare in the country to further reduce health tourism,” the communique added.

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