Nurses issue 21-day ultimatum over unsafe conditions in Ogun hospital

Nurses at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have given the management a 21-day ultimatum to address shortages of essential medical equipment and staff, warning that the deficiencies could endanger patients and undermine healthcare delivery.

The nurses, under the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives at the hospital, issued the ultimatum during a protest over poor working conditions and inadequate facilities.

One of their major concerns was that three hospital wards reportedly had to share a single blood pressure monitoring device for routine clinical duties, a situation they described as inadequate for a specialised hospital providing round-the-clock care.

The association listed several missing or insufficient medical supplies, including manual and digital blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, cardiac monitors, thermometers, weighing scales and glucometers.

It also demanded oxygen cylinders for wards, emergency and resuscitation trays, essential emergency supplies and adequate medicines for patients.

The nurses called for improved basic facilities, including bedspreads for patients, reliable electricity and adequate water supply, warning that the shortages increased pressure on healthcare workers and threatened effective service delivery.

Beyond equipment and infrastructure, the association demanded the recruitment and deployment of specialist nurses to accident and emergency, perioperative, psychiatric, intensive care and midwifery units.

It also called for an end to what it described as single-qualified staffing arrangements and demanded regular training and retraining for healthcare personnel.

The association further raised concerns over the reported absence of DStv subscriptions in hospital wards for more than eight months, arguing that television programmes could provide diversional therapy and help reduce boredom among patients receiving psychiatric care.

It said adequate equipment, sufficient staffing, reliable electricity and clean water were essential to patient safety, infection prevention, staff welfare and effective healthcare delivery.

The nurses urged the management to take concrete steps to address the concerns within 21 days, warning that the prevailing conditions could compromise the timely and safe treatment of patients.

The President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Aro branch, Ojewande Oluwafemi, confirmed the protest and said his union supported the action.

“Today is the second day. Both unions are on the same page on the ultimatum because we are working,” he said.