Nurses in Kwara embark on strike over lack of kit to protect them from COVID-19

The members of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives at the General Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State have embarked on strike over lack of kits to protect them from COVID-19 pandemic.

The workers, who started the strike on Thursday, decried the alleged poor and risky environment condition they were subjected to work under.

Among other things, they frowned at the failure of the state to supply them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to safeguard them while treating suspected COVID-19 patients brought to the hospital.

They said they were not happy with the state government’s refusal to provide PPE at accident and emergency units as well as other units amid the ravaging coronavirus existence in the state.

The protesting nurses also complained that they worked two shifts of 10-14 hours daily without provision of call food or allowances like “is the case in some other health workers”.

Funke Alo, the auditor of the association, also pointed out that the designated pick-up points for workers on duty were few.

She said the situation made workers go through stress before finding their way.

Further accusing the government and top management of disregarding their letter on the challenges they face, she said:

“The nurses are working under a risky condition in this hospital. Those at the accident and emergency ward are not given the Personal Protective Equipment to protect them against the danger of contracting coronavirus which we has now crept into the state and we are not also paid hazard allowance as it is done in other states.”

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Abuja doctors, nurses get N50,000, N30,000 daily hazard allowance —FCT Minister

Following the development, the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, in a joint statement by its chairman and secretary, Dr Kolade Solagberu and Dr Majeed Mohammed respectively, directed its members not to consult or treat any patient without PPE.

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