Hospitals across Abuja were thrown into disarray on Wednesday as nurses under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, commenced a seven-day warning strike.
The strike action, which began early in the day, left many government hospitals either discharging patients or reducing operations drastically due to a severe shortage of nursing staff.
This follows the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued by the union on July 14, 2025, demanding that the Federal Government address several key concerns to prevent a complete shutdown of the health system.
Speaking on the development, the National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, said the government’s failure to act prompted the strike.
Some of the nurses’ demands include a review of shift and uniform allowances, creation of a special salary structure, increase in core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nurses, and establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, patients were seen waiting endlessly as services slowed down. Departments such as General Out-Patient, Immunization, and Surgical Out-Patient were overwhelmed due to the absence of nurses.
NANNM executives were seen monitoring compliance. The union chairman at the centre, Victor Asu, confirmed that no nurse was on duty.
“I visited the ICU. A patient is demanding discharge. We’ve resolved that no nurse will provide care during this strike,” he said.
A visitor, Abu Isah, who brought his father to the hospital, said they had been waiting for over two hours. “The roll call is slow. We hope we get attention soon,” he told reporters.
A mother who came for her child’s immunization expressed frustration. “They are attending to us, but the wait is too long. I still have work to do today,” she said.
At Kubwa General Hospital, the situation was even worse. Nurses completely withdrew from duty, leaving doctors overwhelmed.
A parent in the paediatric ward said, “Doctors are doing their best, but it’s not enough. Without nurses, care delivery is too slow. The government needs to wake up—people are suffering.”
Another doctor in the labour ward, who requested anonymity, admitted they were struggling. “We’ve discharged some patients. We can only offer basic care for now.”
The National Hospital, Abuja, also witnessed a similar situation. Crowds filled waiting areas with no nurses to assist. Patients sat on the floor, some leaning on walls, waiting anxiously.
At Wuse General Hospital, the Accident and Emergency Unit discharged patients early due to the shortage of staff. Simon Adebiyi, a patient, said, “Doctors are trying, but it’s not enough. We’re all tired of the wait.”
Despite the inconvenience, many patients chose to remain, afraid their conditions could worsen without medical help.
Chairman of NANNM at the National Hospital, Joe Akpi, warned that if the government does not meet their demands, the union will issue another 21-day ultimatum, followed by a total, indefinite strike.
“There’s an ongoing meeting, but it was postponed to Friday,” he said. “We care about our patients, but we also deserve fair treatment.”
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