Nigerian nurses are currently agitated over the new circular by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) which revised the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives to foreign nursing boards or councils.
They are demanding a review of the circular’s contents to avoid a situation where nurses’ progress and development are subjected to other professionals’ determination.
The development is coming amid poor healthcare infrastructure, funding, welfare, and working conditions in the health sector.
NMCN disclosed that over 42,000 nurses have left the country in the last three years to seek greener pastures in foreign countries. According to the council, over 15,000 nurses left Nigeria in 2023 alone.
Recall that the MDCAN said more than 100 members left the country within 24 months.
In addition, health officials say at least 5,600 Nigerian medical doctors have migrated to the United Kingdom (UK) in the last eight years.
Seemingly worried by the imminent threat of brain drain in the nation’s health sector, the NMCN introduced revised guidelines for verifying nursing certificates to address the crisis.
NMCN had, in a recent memo dated February 7, 2024, outlined the revised guidelines and requirements to be met by all applicants seeking the verification of certificate(s) to foreign nursing boards/councils.
It said that applicants seeking verification of certificates to foreign nursing boards and councils must have two years of qualification experience and pay a non-refundable application fee.
The memo signed by the Registrar/Secretary General of NMCN, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, was sent to the Commissioners/Secretary of Health Services; Chief Medical Directors/ Medical Directors; National President; Directors of Nursing Services; Heads of Department; Provosts & Principals; Coordinators; Zonal Officers; All States Ministry of Health & Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; University Teaching Hospitals/Specialist & Federal Medical Centre and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, National Headquarters, Abuja.
The circular was also sent to the Ministries of Health, Hospitals Management Boards, All States & Federal Capital Territory; All Universities Offering Nursing Programmes; Colleges of Nursing Sciences, Schools of Nursing & Midwifery, All Post-Basic Nursing Programmes; All Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Zonal Offices.
It provided that, “Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two (2) years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practising licence. Any application with a provisional licence shall be rejected outright.
“The Council shall request a letter of Good Standing from the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended, and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. Please note that the Council shall not accept such letter(s) through the applicant.
“Applicants must have an active practising licence with a minimum of six months to the expiration date. Applicants must upload Certificate(s) of Registration only. Notification of Registration is not acceptable.
“The applicant shall receive prompt notice via his/her email and dashboard on the status of the verification application.
“Please note: Processing of verification application takes a minimum of six (6) months. All applicants shall ensure that complete requirements are met before initiating verification application as incomplete documentation shall not be processed.”
NMCN is the only legal, administrative, corporate and statutory body charged with performing specific functions on behalf of the Federal Government to ensure the delivery of safe and effective Nursing and Midwifery care to the public through quality education and best practices.
The council was mandated by law to regulate the standards of Nursing and Midwifery education and practice in Nigeria and to review such standards from time to time to meet the changing health needs of the society.
However, the nurses and other health workers have kicked against the new development, insisting the guidelines and requirements are typical of a denial of human rights.
The health workers stressed that there had never been any occasion where regulatory bodies asked for work experience or mandated years of service as a condition for verification.
As a protest against the policy, the nurses, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Abuja and Lagos chapters, took to the street to express their disapproval of the new circular on certificate verification NMCN.
The nurses converged on the NMCN’s offices in Abuja and Lagos to express their dissatisfaction. They threatened a nationwide strike, describing the new guidelines as an effort to hamper their freedom.
The nurses and midwives were at the NMCN office protesting, singing, and carrying placards peacefully around the premises.
While reacting, the body of Heads of the Nursing Services Department and Principals of Schools in Federal Health Institutions (BOHNAPFHI) urged the Council to review the guidelines and delete any item likely to frustrate early verification of the licence issued to professional nurses by NMCN.
In a letter signed by its Chairman, Dr. (Mrs) Awoseemo Aderonke, addressed to the Registrar/Secretary General of NMCN, the association urged the council to review some contents of the circular to avoid a situation where the progress and development of nurses were subjected to the determination of medical doctors or other professionals.
According to the group, “verification of license issued by NMCN is to ascertain whether the one presented by the applicant is issued by it and not fake, stressing that it should have nothing to do with either character or working experience of the applicant.
“I am directed by the body of the Head of Nursing Department and Principals of Schools in Federal Health Institutions (Basic and Post) in Nigeria to request and urge you to review some contents of the circular to avoid a situation where the progress and development of Nurses are subjected to the determination of medical doctors or other professionals.
“Thus, affirmation of the character of graduands has to be attended by the head of the training institution, who is a professional nurse. While the license to practice should be verified by the issuer, that is, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. (NMCN).
“We would appreciate it if you could further review the guidelines and delete any item likely to frustrate early verification of the licence issued to professional nurses by NMCN. It is our opinion that verification of the license issued by NMCN is to ascertain whether the one presented by the applicant is issued by the NMCN and not fake. It should have nothing to do with either the character or working experience of the applicant.
“In addition, we humbly suggest that the NMCN should endeavour to carry nurse leaders along when taking such salient decisions in order to prevent regression.”
Meanwhile, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has said that over 15,000 nurses and midwives left in 2023 to seek greener pastures in foreign countries.
The registrar of NMCN, Faruk Abubakar, made this known on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Morning Brief while fielding questions about the controversial new guidelines.
Justifying the revised guideline for nurse’s verification, Abubakar said the number of nurses leaving the country increases yearly.
“42,000 nurses left the country in the last three years. Last year alone, it was over 15,000; the number is increasing yearly”, he said.
When asked what the Council was doing to protect and improve the welfare of the nurses, he said the Federal Ministry of Health was working towards improving the nurses’ working conditions, allowances, and salaries.
“The FMoH and the honourable Minister of State (for health) are working hard to ensure a conducive working environment, providing state-of-art equipment and instruments to help them provide quality care for Nigerians.
“And I want to assure (you) that within a couple of months, a lot has been integrated and provided in 2024 that will improve the welfare of the nurses we are talking about. When talking about the salary they are talking about, I think it’s a general phenomenon, and I believe it’s a general thing.
“There is a lot of progress going on to review the salary, and nurses are also included in that policy. I think it’s a general phenomenon; all other sectors are also complaining, and the government is doing a lot,” he stated.
