Japa: Nigerian Health Workers Express Discontent Over New Nursing Council Rules

Nigerian health professionals, particularly nurses, are voicing their displeasure over recently implemented regulations by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) concerning the verification of certificates with overseas nursing boards or councils.

The updated standards, outlined in a memo dated February 7, 2024, mandate that Nigerian nurses and health workers seeking certification verification abroad must possess a minimum of two years of post-qualification experience. The memo, signed by NMCN’s CEO and Registrar, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, explicitly rejects applications with provisional licenses.

Applicants are also required to have an active practicing license with at least six months before expiration. Only Certificates of Registration are accepted for upload, and notifications of registration are deemed unacceptable.

Critics, including nurses and healthcare professionals, argue that these new guidelines violate human rights, emphasizing that previous instances of verification did not impose such stringent work experience requirements.

Reactions on social media reflect the discontent among the professionals. @Ademidamolla expressed concern over the extended verification period, while @tana_lifted questioned the need for post-qualification experience. @Nursebassey lamented that nurses are not responsible for the country’s economic issues and criticized attaching verification conditions to CEOs who are often medical doctors.

A public health nurse using the handle @DTechNurse called for overturning the current system where nurses need doctor’s approval to advance in their careers. @AlongeElijah went a step further, labeling the rules as “stupid” and promising to notify international nursing bodies and human rights organizations about the perceived violation.

In response to these grievances, Nigerian nurses are planning a rally at the NMCN office in Abuja. The discontent centers on the perceived impracticality and unfairness of the new verification requirements, adding strain to an already challenging professional landscape.