Nurses Forced to Work in Harsh Conditions
In a shocking turn of events, nurses at Lagos General Hospital in Agege have been Threatened with Negligence After demanding better working conditions after enduring unbearable heat due to a faulty air conditioning unit.
For weeks, nurses working in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit have been struggling with poor ventilation in an already cramped and uncomfortable workspace. With no functional AC and no windows for proper airflow, their working environment became almost unbearable.
Despite multiple complaints to hospital management, their pleas were ignored. The situation reached a breaking point when night-shift nurses who worked from Monday into Tuesday morning, March 4, demanded immediate action, warning that the extreme heat and poor ventilation could impact their ability to provide quality patient care.
Management’s Shocking Response—Query Letters Instead of Solutions!
Instead of addressing the issue, hospital management retaliated by serving query letters to all the nurses who had complained. A staff nurse who spoke to Fellow Nurses Africa on the condition of anonymity said the hospital’s leadership wanted to silence the nurses and discourage any further demands for better working conditions.
“The management begged the nurses on Tuesday morning, promising to fix the AC, only for them to turn around and issue query letters later that same day. The queries were just a way to threaten us into silence” she said.
Another health worker at the hospital condemned the decision, saying management should have fixed the problem instead of punishing nurses for simply asking for a conducive working environment.
“This AC issue has been ongoing for a long time, and nothing was done. The room is too small, has no windows, and now we’re being punished for demanding better conditions? It’s completely unfair!”
The Query Letter—Accusing Nurses of Negligence!
A copy of the query letter, dated March 4, 2025, states:
“It was reported on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, that you refused to attend to patients due to complaints of a non-functional air conditioning system in your changing room.”
The letter goes on to accuse the nurses of negligence and warns that disciplinary action will be taken if they fail to provide a written response within 24 hours.
Nurses Speak Out—”Are We Expected to Work in Inhumane Conditions?”
The affected nurses are now demanding answers and questioning why they are being punished instead of being provided with basic working conditions.
“Should we continue to keep quiet when we are at risk of respiratory infections due to poor ventilation? This is unfair, and we will not be silenced.”
The incident has sparked outrage among healthcare professionals, who argue that nurses in Nigeria already face poor working conditions, low pay, and lack of support—and now, even speaking up for their rights is being criminalized.
Public Outcry—Is This How Nigeria Treats Its Nurses?
This development raises serious concerns about workers’ rights in Nigerian hospitals. If nurses are being intimidated for asking for basic facilities, how does this impact patient care and overall healthcare service delivery?
What do you think about this situation? Should nurses be punished for demanding a safe working environment? Drop your comments below and share this story!
