NEW
YEAR MESSAGE: FROM BACKBONE TO ARCHITECT, BUILDING A NEW HEALTHCARE FUTURE IN
2026
Dear Esteemed Nurses,
Distinguished colleagues, members of UGONSA,
courageous and gallant nurses of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, midwives, and
professional compatriots across the length and breadth of our great nation,
Nigeria. We stand today at the dawn of a new year, but more importantly, we
stand at the precipice of a new era. We have crossed the bridge of 2025, a year
that tested the very fabric of our resilience. As the sun rises on this new
year, 2026, we extend to you not just greetings, but a salute. A salute to your
resilience in the face of unimaginable pressure, and to your compassion in a
climate of despair, and to your unwavering professionalism while standing on
grounds that often feel faithless, unfaithful, treacherous, and deceitful to
our hard work.
We
have seen the economic tides turn, we watched the "Japa" wave turn
from a stream into a tsunami, leaving our wards understaffed and our spirits
stretched thin. Yet, we were the ones who held the fort when the walls were
crumbling. We improvised when supplies ran dry. We became mothers, fathers,
doctors, pharmacists, and counsellors to the Nigerian patient when the system
failed them and as other professionals downed tools. We are the first to
comfort the victims of insecurity, the frontline warriors against disease
outbreaks, and the steadfast guardians of maternal and child health amidst
systemic challenges. We are not just observers; we are living the reality. We are not just surviving Nigeria.
We are the last remaining proof that this country still
has a soul, and
because you carry this burden, you deserve not just a salary, but a ‘throne’.
You are the “Remnant Army" holding the lifeline of over 200 million
Nigerians, and UGONSA declares you the Iron
Dome of Nigeria’s healthcare.
To UGONSA members, the BNSc is our baseline, not our
ceiling. In 2026, we must assert our intellectual authority. When you step into
that ward, you step in as a master of your craft, not as a subordinate. We are
University Graduates. We are Scientists. We are Clinicians. The world is moving
toward Nurse-led clinics and independent consultancy. We must pursue specialisation
relentlessly. We will also continue to fight until the internship and proper
placement for our graduates are no longer treated as privileges, but as
unalienable rights. We cannot pour from an empty cup, and we cannot save lives
while we cannot afford to feed our families. This year, we must push for a
dignified Nurses Salary Structure (NSS) and we shall partner with
other stakeholders to ensure speedy implementation of the Nurse/Midwife
Consultant cadre. The nurses' salary structure must be reviewed to match
the inflation reality of 2026 and beyond. But beyond salary, we must become
nurse-entrepreneurs. We must innovate. Let us patent our ideas, let us run our
consultancy firms, let us own the healthcare space. The rebirth of the Nigerian
Nurses from the ward to policymakers must materialise this year, and we must
move from the frontlines to the forefront as architect of a new dawn in the
Nigerian Health System. At UGONSA, we have made significant strides in
projecting a good image of the nursing profession. We have worked tirelessly to
promote and protect your interests, made meaningful strides in promoting the
respectability of nursing, and advanced our profession through our
international Journal, The Nursing Scope (www.thenursingscope.org), and we will
intensify these efforts in 2026.
For too long, we have been called the
"backbone" of the healthcare system. This is a noble title, but it is
insufficient. A backbone is hidden, silent, and expected to merely support. But
2026 must mark the year the Nigerian Nurse evolves from being the backbone to
becoming the architect, the visionary designer, the
master builder of a new, resilient, and equitable healthcare
future for Nigeria.
UGONSA charges you all not to let the harshness of the
Nigerian economy break your professional posture. When donning your scrubs and
wearing your white, you are wearing the hope of a nation. In 2026, let us be unstoppable
in our pursuit of excellence. We are not just washing wounds; we are healing a
nation. We are not just checking vitals; we are the vital signs of the Nigerian
Healthcare Sector. Rise, Nigerian Nurses! The world is watching, and history is
waiting for you to pick up the pen and write the next chapter.
We thank you for your perseverance and wish you a
prosperous and fulfilling New Year.
UGONSA…! Make a Positive Change.
NURSE OJO
OPEYEMI NURSE
P.O. ETENG
National President National Secretary
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