Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Healthcare delivery at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Barnawa has been severely disrupted following an indefinite strike embarked upon by 128 nurses over unresolved welfare and career-related grievances, compounding pressure on mental health services in northern Nigeria.
The industrial action, declared by members of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives unit at the hospital, began in recent days after what union leaders describe as more than two years of unaddressed complaints. The withdrawal of services has significantly affected patient care at the tertiary psychiatric facility, which serves Kaduna State and neighboring regions.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, the union’s unit chairman at the hospital, Comrade Enwereji Uchekukwu, said the decision to down tools followed repeated attempts to engage hospital management without success. According to him, the union formally wrote to the management at least twice in the past year, seeking dialogue over contentious issues, but received no response. Subsequent inquiries, he added, revealed that the letters could not be located.
Uchekukwu described the situation as both disappointing and unsustainable. He stated that all 128 regular nurses at the institution are participating in the strike, effectively halting core nursing services in several wards. He expressed concern about the implications for patient safety, particularly in a psychiatric setting where consistent monitoring and professional care are critical.
Among the grievances cited by the union is the placement of newly recruited nurses on Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) 6 rather than CONHESS 7, which the union maintains is the approved entry level for nurses in federal health institutions. According to Uchekukwu, this discrepancy not only affects take-home pay but also undermines morale and professional recognition.
He also raised concerns about inconsistencies in staff designation within the hospital, alleging that some nurses are being assigned roles that do not correspond with their training and official grade levels. Additionally, he claimed that the Principal Nursing Officer cadre, categorized under CONHESS 11, had been removed from the hospital’s promotion structure, thereby limiting opportunities for career progression.
“These issues have lingered for more than two years,” Uchekukwu said, emphasizing that the strike was a last resort after internal mechanisms failed to yield tangible outcomes. He maintained that the union remains open to dialogue but insists that concrete steps must be taken to address the concerns.
The strike has reportedly led to a skeletal level of service provision, with reports indicating that a single local nurse was at one point attending to as many as 45 patients. Union leaders characterized this ratio as unsafe for both staff and patients, particularly in a neuropsychiatric facility where individualized attention is often necessary to manage complex conditions.
Mental health advocates have expressed apprehension about the disruption. Psychiatric hospitals typically manage patients with severe mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, many of whom require structured care plans and close supervision. Interruptions in routine care, observers note, can increase the risk of relapse, agitation, or medical complications.
Reacting to the development, the hospital’s Head of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Lucky Abumere, acknowledged the strike and expressed concern over its impact. He said management had previously held discussions with union representatives and was not indifferent to the issues raised.
Abumere explained that in the absence of a governing board, some of the matters fall beyond the immediate administrative authority of the hospital. He stated that the concerns had been formally referred to the Federal Ministry of Health for review and intervention. According to him, the ministry is aware of the situation and has indicated willingness to step in.
He expressed optimism that ongoing dialogue with federal authorities would lead to a resolution and the restoration of full services. However, no specific timeline was provided for when negotiations might conclude or when nurses might resume duties.
The strike at Barnawa underscores broader challenges within Nigeria’s public health system, where disputes over salary structures, promotion pathways, and welfare conditions frequently trigger industrial actions. The CONHESS framework, designed to standardize remuneration across federal health institutions, has been a recurring point of contention in various hospitals when implementation is perceived as inconsistent.
For patients and their families, the immediate concern is access to care. Relatives who depend on the facility for long-term treatment have reportedly been seeking clarity on service availability, while some have begun exploring alternative options in private facilities or other public hospitals. Such alternatives, however, may be limited or financially burdensome.
Healthcare policy analysts note that psychiatric institutions require stable staffing not only to maintain treatment regimens but also to prevent overcrowding and ensure security within wards. Prolonged strikes can exacerbate existing resource constraints and strain the remaining workforce.
As negotiations continue behind closed doors, stakeholders are urging swift resolution in the interest of patient welfare. The union has reiterated that its action is not intended to undermine healthcare delivery but to secure what it considers rightful entitlements and career stability for its members.
For now, the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Barnawa operates under constrained conditions, with uncertainty surrounding the duration of the strike. Whether federal intervention will produce a timely settlement remains to be seen, but the episode has once again highlighted the fragile equilibrium between workforce welfare and uninterrupted public health service delivery in Nigeria.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments