Akwa Ibom nurses under the aegis of Ibom Nurses Communities yesterday held a peaceful walk and rally at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Capital to express their disapproval 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.
The Ibom Nurses Communities comprise of Akwa Ibom Nursing Community, Akwa Ibom Nursing Professionals, Ibom Nursing Students Community, Ibom Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom Nursing Professionals in Diaspora, Ibom Nursing Stakeholders, Nursing Ambassadors of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom Unemployed Nurses’ Forum, Forum of Akwa Ibom Nurses’ Entrepreneurs,Conglomerate of Ibom Nursing Media and Pressure Groups.
A memo signed by the Registrar and Secretary General of NMCN, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, was sent to the Commissioners and Secretary of Health Services, Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors, National President, Directors of Nursing Services, Heads of Department, Provosts & Principals, Coordinators and Zonal Officers.
A release by the NMCN, 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 and councils, stressing 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.
Other reforms were, applicants must have an active practising licence with a minimum of six months to the expiration date and applicants must also upload Certificate(s) of Registration only as Notification of Registration is not acceptable. The nurses during the protest describe the new guidelines as an effort to hampering their freedom.
According to the nurses, the grievances that stirred the protest were; imposing two years post-qualification work experience on them, obtaining letter of good standing from employers which according to them subjects them to potential bias and discrimination, delay of career progression and creating and unfair barrier to employment among others, stressing that the policy has not only restrict equal opportunities but also appear to exploit nurses favourable work conditions. The nurses and midwives protested, displaying placards peacefully around the state secretariat, Some of the placards read, ‘We say No To New Verification Policy; we are going through a lot already, give us our freedom; address unemployment among nurses.
While reacting, Akwa Ibom State Director Of Nursing Services, Patricia Ekanem expressed gratitude to the nurses for organizing a peaceful demonstration, assuring that she will bring up the matter at the executive meeting of the Federal Ministry of Health so as to address the nurses’ working conditions, allowances, and salaries.