Nurses’ Strike Disrupts Healthcare Services Across Abuja

Healthcare delivery in various hospitals within the Federal Capital Territory was severely disrupted on Wednesday, July 30 as nurses affiliated with the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), under the Federal Health Institutions arm, commenced a week-long warning strike.

The industrial action, which kicked off early in the day, left many government-run hospitals in Abuja struggling to function, with some discharging patients and others drastically scaling down their services due to a sharp drop in available nursing personnel.

Recall that on July 14, 2025, the union had issued a 15-day notice to the Federal Government, demanding urgent action to prevent a full-scale collapse of healthcare services.

According to NANNM-FHI National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, the government’s failure to meet their demands within the stipulated period prompted the strike.

Among their key grievances are demands for improved shift and uniform allowances, a distinct salary scale for nurses, increased core duty allowance, large-scale recruitment of nursing staff, and the creation of a nursing directorate within the Federal Ministry of Health.

The union insists that the current warning strike is necessary to push these demands forward.

When our reporter visited the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja, it was clear that services were moving at a snail’s pace, with patients waiting for extended periods to receive attention.

Long queues could be seen at critical service points such as the General Out-Patient Department, Immunization Unit, Consultation Areas, and Surgical Out-Patient sections.

Leaders of the NANNM were also spotted on the premises to ensure compliance with the strike order.

Victor Asu, who leads the union at the medical centre, confirmed the situation:

“I am here today to ensure absolute compliance. Although doctors and other healthcare workers are not on strike, services have become slow, and patients are already complaining. I went to the Intensive Care Unit, and there is a patient agitating to be discharged.

We have resolved that no member will attend to patients in the wards or stay with them overnight. Normally, nurses provide 24/7 care, but for now, we are fully on strike.”

Abu Isah, who brought his father to the FMC, noted that they arrived by 8 a.m. but had yet to be attended to even after two hours. Another parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, also expressed frustration after waiting several hours to have her daughter immunised.

“The staff here are attending to us, but the long wait is frustrating, and I still need to go to the office,” she said.

At the General Hospital in Kubwa, nurses completely vacated the premises, leaving patients in limbo and overwhelming the few staff on duty.

Essential services at the hospital were either being run at bare minimum or completely shut down.

In the Paediatric section, many parents sat tightly holding their sick children, while some paced back and forth in long queues.

“The roll call is slow, but we remain hopeful we will get the care we need,” one father shared.

A concerned mother, who did not want to be named said, “It’s only the doctors attending to the children.

The pace is painfully slow because they don’t have nurses to assist them. The government should listen to these nurses and meet their demands. This situation clearly shows how difficult it is for doctors to function effectively without the nurses.

Beyond diagnosing and prescribing, who will care for the admitted patients? Who will take vital signs or handle the basic tasks that nurses normally manage? Expecting doctors to do all that will only overwhelm them.

The government needs to act quickly. Not everyone can afford private hospitals, and we are the ones suffering.”

At the hospital’s labour ward, some patients were sent home earlier in the day as doctors tried to manage without the presence of nurses.

A doctor who chose to stay anonymous admitted the situation was dire: “We’re overwhelmed. Without the nurses, our capacity is extremely limited. We can only offer basic care, but beyond that, our hands are tied.”

Over at the National Hospital in Abuja, the effects of the strike were also evident. Patients filled the waiting areas, with many sitting on the floor or leaning against the walls, anxiously waiting to be attended to.

With nurses absent, other medical personnel had to take on extra responsibilities, significantly slowing down service delivery.

Despite the delays, most patients chose to wait, worried their conditions might worsen if they left without care.

Chairman of NANNM at the National Hospital, Abuja, Joe Akpi stated that if the strike ends without a resolution, the union would escalate the situation.

“Inasmuch as we care about the patients, there is nothing we can do. There is an ongoing meeting, but it has been postponed to Friday,” he said, adding that a new 21-day ultimatum would follow the current warning strike, potentially leading to a nationwide indefinite strike.

At Wuse General Hospital, patients in the emergency unit were discharged as doctors could not cope alone.

Simon Adebiyi, a patient, shared his frustration:

“The doctors are doing their best, but it’s far from enough. We are tired of the unusually long wait, and other people are tired too.”