NATIONAL Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called a lie the allegation by Governor Nasir el-Rufai that in the course of the warning strike, two nurses caused the death of a two-day old baby when they unplugged it from oxygen.
NANNM in a statement on Thursday said the accusation that nurses removed oxygen from a 2-day old baby “is unfounded and misleading to the public.”
In the statement signed by Comrade (Nurse) Ishaku Yakubu, Chairman, NANNM, Kaduna State council, entitled: “Official Statement of NANNM Kaduna State Council on Alleged Discharge of Patients and Removal of Oxygen on a 2-Day Old Baby,” the union said contrary to the allegations and false statements, the said “nurse went extra miles to ensure the safety of the child and other patients, as it is known of nurses.”
Comrade Yakubu said investigations carried out by council revealed that the nurse was the one that pleaded with the generator plant technician not to switch off power because of the baby that was on oxygen, and that the technician obliged the nurse’s plea till the baby was transferred to a private hospital the following morning before the strike commenced on the midnight of 15th May 2021.
“…The accusation of our members removing oxygen from a Two-day old baby is unfounded and misleading to the public. The investigations carried out by the union have revealed how the nurse on duty helped to plead with the generator plant technician to allow the light in the hospital as a patient was on oxygen and to allow for the transfer of the same patient in the morning as the strike was to start midnight of 15th May 2021. Contrary to the allegations and false statements, the nurse went extra miles to ensure the safety of the child and other patients, as it is known of nurses.
“The investigations carried out by the association also revealed that the baby is alive and doing well in one of the private facilities in Kaduna town. Videos of the interview with the mother of the baby and of the private hospital [are] available and will be made available to the media. The union shall take a decisive action against the perpetrators of [these] malicious and incisive allegations,” NANNM said.
While calling on the public to disregard the “malicious and unfounded allegations,” NANNM stressed that the false allegation has battered the image of not only the nurse in question but aimed at “discrediting and tarnishing the image and reputation of the nurses and the nursing profession.”
NANNM stated as an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Kaduna State Council of NANNM is obliged to actively participate in the strike action as directed by the umbrella body.
According to the union, contrary to the allegation that nurses forcibly discharged patients from hospitals because of the strike, the member of NANNM has ever done that.
“That NO member of NANNM in Kaduna state has ever either in the past or present discharged any patient during any union action and even in the present allegation of discharge of patients in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital (BDTH), the nurses did not discharge any patient. The patients left on their own considering the fact that services were withdrawn,” the statement said.
Comrade Yakubu stated that the alleged mass sack of nurses in Kaduna State from levels 14 and below is aimed at dividing the nurses and playing the “divide-and-rule” game.
He said: “All nurses are part of this action as well as other health professionals, why single out nurses if not an attempt to divide the unity we share. More so, this is to strike fear among nurses to have them resume work knowing full well that we constitute the majority of the work force in the health sector.
“This attempt will fail as we are together and not moved by these threats. As far as NANNM is concerned, no nurse has been sacked in Kaduna State as the rules of disengagement has not been followed which is part of the reasons for this industrial action.
“We call on the Kaduna State government to conserve the energy they are using now to fight nurses and use same to secure the release of two of our nurses who are in the hands of kidnappers for the past 30 days. They were taken from their duty post as government workers and the kidnappers are making huge demand as ransom.
“The Association wants to assure the citizens of the state that we are committed to the provision of health care services to the public and to ensure they get the best but when the work force is unfairly treated then the best cannot be achieved. We solicit for their prayers and understanding during this period, the almighty will help us all.”
