Afrigather Nurses underneath the aegis of the Nationwide Affiliation of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT chapter, protested the brand new verification certification tips just lately launched by the Nigeria and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) on Monday.
NMCN just lately launched a round stating that nurses should have at the very least two years of post-qualification expertise from the date of the everlasting practising licence issuance earlier than getting a verification certificates.
On February 7, the NMCN issued a round revising the rules for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives, which was launched in December 2023 after deactivating the council verification portal.
The registrar of the council, Faruk Abubakar, signed the round.
The round additionally said that “a non-refundable price per utility shall be paid for verification to international boards of nursing as specified on the portal and shall cowl the price of courier providers to the applicant’s establishment(s) of coaching, workplace, and international board.
“The council shall request a letter of excellent standing from the chief govt officer of the applicant’s place(s) of labor and the final nursing coaching establishment attended, and responses to those shall be addressed on to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN.
“Please word that the council shall not settle for such letter(s) by way of the applicant.”
The council additionally said that candidates should have lively practising licences with a minimal of six months till the expiration date, and processing of verification functions would take a minimal of six months.
It said that the implementation of the rules takes impact on March 1, 2024.
In the meantime, throughout the protest, the nurses expressed displeasure over what they described as an try and hinder their freedom to pursue profession alternatives, asking the council to reverse the rule.
The nurses requested the council to handle welfare, wage scale, scarcity of employees, and different rights, which have been carried out inside the NMCN’s premises in Abuja.
The nurses and midwives have been on the NMCN premises singing and carrying placards peacefully to specific their displeasure.
Some placards learn, “Tackle unemployment amongst nurses, handle quackery, handle nurses welfare”, “No to verification guidelines. Cease irritating the Nigerian nurses”, and “We’re going by way of loads already. Shield nurses, shield healthcare.”
Talking with reporters, one of many nurses, Cynthia Adeyeri, urged the federal government to prioritise enhancing nurses’ welfare.
Ms Adeyeri mentioned the nurses have been at NMCN to protest in opposition to the brand new verification guidelines for certificates and to provide the registrar a letter to specific their displeasure over the matter.
She added, “We’re saying no to creating us work two years earlier than we are able to go away the nation; we’re saying no to getting a letter of excellent standing from the CMD from our hospitals; and we’re saying no to different issues within the round.”
One other nurse, Isioma Alexis, mentioned nurses within the nation are in opposition to the round issued by the nursing council.
She mentioned, “There isn’t a correlation between getting a letter of excellent standing from the place we work and getting the verification certificates.
“We’re telling them to reverse all the pieces contained in that round to what it was earlier than; each those they haven’t even carried out or what they’re nonetheless pondering of implementing are contained in that round.”
In the meantime, the council’s registrar, Mr Abubakar, mentioned their complaints can be addressed as quickly as doable whereas addressing the nurses.
“You may have written your complaints, and we’ll have a look at them one after the other and get again to you. Return to your respective
locations of labor, and I guarantee you that in a few days, we’ll reply,” the registrar added.
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