By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
No Nurses discharged or removed oxygen/incubator from a 2days old baby in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital (BDTH) Kaduna as speculated by Governor Nasir el-rufai led administration, an interview with mother of the baby’s Hanatu Anas has revealed.
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has also confirmed the allegations, in a statement issued in Kaduna after it’s investigation into the matter, saying that the patients in question left on their own will, considering the fact that services were withdrawn due to the strike action.
Kaduna state Government, according the NANNM, had in a statement accused their members of discharging patients from the hospital and removing oxygen from a two-day old baby because of the NLC strike against mass sacking in Kaduna.
According to the investigation, no members of NANNM in Kaduna state have “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 statement signed by kaduna state association’s Chairman Com. Nurse Ishaku Yakubu, stated that Kaduna the patients left on their own considering the fact that services were withdrawn.
“In respect to the recent happenings in the state and the threats from the Government, the Association wishes to issue the following statements with particular reference to the accusation of our members of discharging patients from the hospital and removing oxygen from a two-day old baby”, it stated.
NANNM however stated that as an affiliate body of NLC, the Kaduna State Council chapter actively participated in the ongoing strike action as directed by her national body.
Nurses council lamented that the accusation of their 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 is available and will be made available to the media.
“The union shall take a decisive action against the perpetrators of this malicious and incisive allegations.
“The association wish to tell Nigerians that image of the nurse has been battered and these allegations are aimed at further discrediting and tarnishing the image and reputation of the nurses and the nursing profession, this is rather unfortunate and we wish to call on everyone to disregard this malicious and unfounded allegations.
That the mass sack of nurses in Kaduna state from level 14 below is aimed at dividing the nurses and playing the “divide and rule” game. 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 fully 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 are in the hands of kidnappers for the past 30 days.
“They were taken at their duty post as government workers and the kidnappers are making huge demand as ransom.
“The association want 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”, it added.
