Medical services across public hospitals in Cross River State have been severely disrupted following an industrial action embarked upon by nurses at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, following the arrest and detention of three of their members by the Nigerian Police.
The decision to embark on an industrial action started after the law enforcement officers, who were said to have been invited by a patient’s relative who accused the nurses of stealing a SIM card, stormed the medical facility and arrest the nurses.
The arrest which was described by eyewitnesses as aggressive and unprofessional has attracted criticism from residents, medical experts and the broader hospital community.
Speaking under anonymity, a nurse expressed frustration over the incident considering that they management could not prevent the arrest nor address the issue before it escalated.
“This is not just about a SIM card. It’s about the dignity of our profession. Bringing armed men into a hospital to arrest caregivers is not only unlawful, it’s deeply dehumanizing.”
To end the industrial action, the UCTH chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives has demanded the immediate release of the detained staff and a full investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved.
As gathered, emergency meetings are ongoing between the union, hospital management, and relevant security agencies.
As of Tuesday morning, nursing services across several departments have come to a halt.
