The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has appealed to the Federal Government to boost investment in nurses’ training and welfare.
Jaman Medan, Chairman of NANNM’s FCT Council, made this plea on Sunday in Abuja while addressing journalists after a Thanksgiving event, part of the activities marking the 2024 FCT Nurses Week.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, this year’s Nurses Week theme is “Our Nurses, Our Future: The Economic Power of Care”. Medan underscored the necessity of enhanced welfare packages for nurses, emphasizing their vital role as the foundation of healthcare delivery.
“We urge the government to invest in nurses’ training, welfare, and overall development. Nurses work in critical areas of our country’s healthcare facilities.
“I recently discovered why many nurses are leaving Nigeria. I implore the government to reassess nurses’ remuneration and prioritise their welfare.
“We appeal to the government to invest in nursing education, practice, and the entire sector. This investment will yield significant benefits. Nurses play a vital role in patient care, encompassing disease prevention, treatment, and more.”
“Nurses are instrumental in various healthcare aspects. Visit an intensive care unit, and you’ll understand their significance. Nurses are often the only healthcare professionals patients can interact with directly.”
“Beyond administering injections, our nurses perform tasks typically associated with doctors. Nurses work tirelessly in various hospital departments, including labour rooms, where they welcome newborns and provide essential care.”
Nurses provide care from the start of illness to recovery or end-of-life, shouldering immense responsibility in healthcare.
Helen David, Financial Secretary, agrees, stating hospitals can’t function without nurses.
The healthcare system relies heavily on them, and their absence would lead to collapse. David emphasizes nurses’ vital role, deserving recognition and respect, not neglect.
“Nurses are indispensable administratively, and their contributions are invaluable. We provide care across all age groups and sectors within healthcare.
“Nurses take the lead in caring for mental health patients, and their role continues to grow. Nurses touch every facet of healthcare, delivering comprehensive, holistic care to patients,” she noted.
 has appealed to the Federal Government to boost investment in nurses' training and welfare.){kind=link}