By Douglas Jones
Nurses in Anambra State have taken to the streets in a desperate cry for help, decrying poor salaries, hazardous working conditions, and what they describe as outright neglect by the state government. The protest, organized by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), was held at the Nurses House in Okpuno, where frustrated healthcare workers demanded urgent intervention.
The grievances were damning: the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) remains poorly implemented, leaving Anambra’s nurses among the worst-paid in the region. Shockingly, many revealed that they have never received more than 60% of their salaries despite the national minimum wage adjustment. Hospitals, they lamented, have become unbearable, with wards designed for 20 patients now crammed with over 80. Meanwhile, their hazard allowance, a mere ₦3,000—compared to the ₦30,000 standard—insults the risks they take daily.
The protesting nurses called on the state government, particularly the Commissioner for Health, to act before the situation escalates into a full-blown crisis that could cripple the state’s healthcare system.
In response, NANNM Chairperson, Mrs. Edith Onwuka, acknowledged their plight, assuring them that negotiations with the government were ongoing. She urged them to remain patient while talks continued, but with tensions running high and living conditions worsening, many fear that without swift action, Anambra’s nurses may soon take more drastic measures.