Tag: nurses protest

Nurses in public and private hospitals in Lagos State and Abuja yesterday protested the revised guidelines for certificate verification.

The protest, organised by the Naija Nurses’ Forum, was meant to persuade the Federal Government to reconsider what the nurses called the oppressive measures imposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

The NMCN had issued a memorandum, dated February 7, outlining new guidelines for eligible applicants to have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience for certificate verification.

The protesters in Lagos carried placards with various messages, such as: ‘We no gree for NMCN’; ‘Free Nigeria Nurses’; ‘Let nurses breathe’; ‘Say no to NMCN verification rules,’ and demanded the reversal of the guidelines within 48 hours.

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During the demonstration, which The Nation witnessed, nurses peacefully moved from Harvey Road to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Road and Neuropsychiatrist Hospital in Yaba.

Naija Nurses’ Forum Coordinator Thomas Abiodun described the guidelines as an attempt to frustrate nurses from seeking better opportunities.

He emphasised the need for the government to intervene in the matter.

In Abuja, the protesters demanded improved welfare and called for how to address pressing issues, like unemployment and quackery, in nursing.

The spokesperson for protesting nurses in Abuja, Cynthia Adeyeri, urged the government to dialogue with the health professionals and address the underlying concerns.

She expressed concern about the poor healthcare infrastructure and the need for increased pay for nurses in Nigeria.

Nurses in Lagos and Abuja have called for the immediate reversal and withdrawal of the new circular on certificate verification by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

The nurses on Monday, February 12, converged on NMCN’s office in Abuja and Yaba, Lagos.

The Nation reports NMCN in its revised guidelines noted that applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practising licence.

This was disclosed in a memo dated 7 February and signed by the NMCN Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, Faruk Abubakar.

This development generated widespread criticism among Nigerian health workers on social media. They described it as a violation of human rights.

The protesting nurses on Monday, adorned in their scrubs, held aloft placards and banners listing their demands.

The protest in Lagos disrupted vehicular movement around the Yaba axis.

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The nurses demanded an immediate withdrawal of the circular. They are also asked that the verification process should be completed in 48 hours and also be made free.

The aggrieved nurses also demanded an increase in remuneration and hazard allowance.

The representative from the NMCN Lagos office who addressed the nurses, acknowledged their requests assuring that their demands would be forwarded to the Abuja branch for consideration and prompt resolution within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, in Abuja, the Registrar of NMCN, Dr. Faruk Abubakar who addressed the nurses, requested a formal letter outlining their demands.

He assured that their concerns would be addressed in a few days.

Various statistics show that over 5,000 Nigerian medical doctors have migrated to the UK between 2015 and 2022.

According to data documented by the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC), 233 Nigerian doctors moved to the UK in 2015; the number increased to 279 in 2016; in 2017 the figure was 475, in 2018, the figure rose to 852, in 2019 it jumped to 1,347; in 2020, the figure was 833 and in 2021, it was put at 932.