AI adoption, staffing gaps raised amid economic pressures
Hospital, government told to strengthen nursing support systems
Nurses have been urged to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding patient safety and delivering quality healthcare services, despite mounting economic pressures confronting the health sector.
The call was made on Tuesday at the 19th Annual Scientific Lecture and End-of-the-Year Activities of the Nursing Services Department of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, themed “Nurses as Pioneers of Safety: Promoting a Culture of Safety in Healthcare Amidst Economic Uncertainties.”
The week-long programme, which runs from 16 to 21 December 2025 at the Muhammad Buhari International Conference Centre, Telemedicine Hall, FMC Abeokuta, brought together nursing professionals, hospital managers, academics, traditional rulers and security chiefs.
Speaking at the event, the Director and Head of Nursing Services Department, Mrs Fagoyinbo Abosede, said nurses remain central to patient safety because of their continuous and direct contact with patients.
She noted that the prevailing economic realities demand innovation, resilience and adaptation in nursing practice to sustain quality care and public confidence in healthcare delivery.
Abosede called on government and hospital management to invest more in human capital development, improve nurses’ welfare, provide modern equipment, strengthen safety and accountability systems, and employ more nurses to address workforce shortages.
She also emphasised the need for comprehensive health insurance coverage for nurses and reduced exposure to workplace hazards.
The guest speaker, Dr Martha Ilunamien Iponi, Head of Nursing at Chrisland University, described nurses as indispensable to modern healthcare systems, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty when staffing levels, training and morale are under strain.
She defined patient safety as the absence of preventable harm and the reduction of healthcare-related risks to an acceptable minimum, citing global evidence that a significant proportion of patient harm is avoidable.
Dr Iponi identified medication errors, surgical errors, healthcare-associated infections, sepsis, diagnostic errors, patient falls, pressure ulcers and unsafe transfusion practices as major sources of preventable harm in hospitals.
She stressed that nurses’ observatory role, close interaction with patients and collaboration with doctors are critical in preventing overdoses, self-care failures and other avoidable adverse events.
The guest speaker also called for improved remuneration and allowances for nurses, noting that poor welfare contributes to the ongoing migration of healthcare workers abroad.
The Royal Father of the Day, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukmon Olalekan Adeleke, likened nursing to motherhood, describing nurses as scientifically trained caregivers who must be protected and respected.
He called for increased public enlightenment to address cases of patients assaulting nurses and urged firm action against irrational behaviour in hospitals, except in clearly defined psychiatric cases.
Highlights of the event included awards to the first female Medical Director of FMC Abeokuta, Dr Sarah Titilayo Ibiyemi, the Royal Father of the Day, and outstanding nurses in the centre.
A Cardio thoracic nurse, Mrs Oluwayemisi Momenh, was awarded during the event by the Royal Father of the Day for her diligence in Nursing and for taking care of him.
Mrs MoMenh said that she wasn’t expecting it, expressing her gratitude and explaining that her intervention during a routine ECG test on the Royal father prevented a potentially fatal outcome, urging nurses to treat all patients equally without discrimination.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Chairman of the Hospital Management Board, Dr Dayo Israel; Head of Clinical Services, Dr Saheed Adediran; the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo; and senior hospital administrators and healthcare professionals.
Participants agreed that strengthening nursing capacity, embracing technology such as artificial intelligence, and prioritising patient safety are critical to improving healthcare outcomes at a time of economic uncertainty.
