Nurses and midwives in Katsina State have declared the withdrawal of their services from hospitals in frontline and vulnerable areas, citing poor remuneration, inadequate welfare, and worsening security conditions.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Katsina State Council, announced this during a press briefing in Katsina.
The association decried the plight of health workers in the state, revealing that despite working under extreme pressure and life-threatening conditions, their hazard allowance remains a meagre N5,000 per month.
Additionally, Katsina, one of Nigeria’s most populous states, employs only about 1,000 nurses and midwives, leading to chronic manpower shortages and overwhelming workloads for the remaining professionals.
“We are receiving one of the lowest remunerations in Nigeria, with inadequate welfare and an increasing rate of resignations as health workers leave for better opportunities elsewhere,” the association stated.
The decision to withdraw services comes after the abduction of a nurse, Yusuf Mohammed Mairuwa, from General Hospital Kankara on January 15, 2025. This incident follows previous attacks on healthcare workers, including the murder of Nurse Murtala Isah Safana in 2022, the permanent eye injury of Nurse Hamza Saleh in an attack near Yan-Tumaki junction, and the kidnapping of a nurse’s wife from General Hospital Kurfi in 2024, which led to a N5 million ransom payment.
According to the association, no significant action has been taken despite a formal letter to the Katsina State government demanding enhanced security within two weeks. The association insists that without urgent intervention, the safety of healthcare workers remains compromised.
Reacting to the issue raised, the health commissioner, Musa Adamu, said he had met with the association’s leaders, and they resolved about 85 percent of their concerns, ruling out the government’s plan to pay ransom for the release of the Mairruwa and others in the hands of bandits.
While commending the association for expressing their plans, Adamu added that the government has already taken several measures to secure all the hospitals in the state and provide additional personnel across the state’s healthcare facilities.
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