…demand public apology
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives Ekiti State Council has come out heavily on the Chairman for the Civil Society in Malaria Control Immunization and Nutrition, ACOMIN, Sir Olu Ogunrotimi and his partners over a statement alleging nurses of playing truancy at primary health centres in the state.
The group had during a media briefing called on the state government to monitor activities in the PHCs on the account that some health officials particularly nurses have not been showing up at their duty posts as expected.
However, in a swift reaction the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives Ekiti State Council led by Comrade Kunle Oni described the statement as clear indication that Sir Ogunrotimi and his team does not understand the workings of the health care centres.
Comrade Oni noted that out of about four thousand health workers such as (Doctors, Nurses, CHOs, CHEWs, Pharmacy Technicians, Medical Lab Technician, Medical Record Officers, Nutrition Officers, Dental Technicians Health Assistants etc working in the over 200 PHCs, there are just 68 Nurses wondering how Sir Olu Ogunrotimi arrived at such incorrect conclusion.
He said the union would have expected the NGO to call the attention of government to the fact that nurses were overworked due to brain drain as well as lack of necessary working tools rather than publishing an indicting statement.
Comrade Oni noted that it was obvious that Sir Ogunrotimi and his team did not carry out due diligence in their fact finding mission and may have mistaken every health worker in the hospital as nurse.
The NANNM Chairman noted that such false statement have affected the psychology and morale of the nurses who have hitherto defiled all odds to give their best for the service of the state.
According to him, Nurses in the Primary Health Care are still giving out their best even when in the last 12 years government is paying them 72% CONHESS salary and did not pay them harzard allowance.
He however asked Sir Ogunrotimi and his team to make a public apology to the nurses within seven days or face the libellous charges.