The Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Faruk Abubakar has mentioned that over 15,000 nurses and midwives left the nation in 2023 to hunt greener pastures.
Abubakar mentioned this whereas talking on the controversy surrounding the nurses’ certificates verification on Tuesday’s version of Channels Tv’s Morning Transient.
The nurses staged protests on the NMCN’s places of work in Abuja and Lagos, respectively to specific their displeasure over what they described as an try to hinder their freedom to pursue profession alternatives, asking the council to handle nurses’ welfare, wage scale, scarcity of workers, and different rights.
NMCN, in its revised pointers, acknowledged that candidates looking for verification of certificates from international nursing boards and councils should possess two years of post-qualification expertise from the date of issuance of the everlasting practising license.
In the meantime, Abubakar mentioned the variety of nurses leaving the nation is growing yearly.
He mentioned, “42,000 nurses left the nation within the final three years. Final 12 months alone, it was over 15,000, the quantity is growing 12 months by 12 months.”
When requested what the council is doing to guard and enhance the welfare of the nurses, the Federal Ministry of Well being is working in direction of enhancing the nurses’ working circumstances, allowances, and salaries.
“The FMoH and the honourable Minister of State (for well being) are working onerous to make sure a really conducive working surroundings, with the availability of state-of-art gear, and devices, that may assist them present high quality take care of Nigerians.
“And I wish to guarantee (you) that inside a few months, rather a lot has been built-in and offered in 2024 that may enhance the welfare of the nurses that we’re speaking about. When speaking concerning the wage they’re speaking about, I believe it’s a normal phenomenon, and I consider it’s a normal factor.
“There may be loads of progress that is occurring to evaluate the wage and nurses are additionally included in that coverage. I believe it’s a normal phenomenon, all different sectors are additionally complaining, and the federal government is doing rather a lot,” he acknowledged.
He added that the council is just not accountable for the remuneration of nurses within the nation.
“Our accountability is to make sure that nurses are regulated to higher schooling and apply for Nigerians. Those that are accountable are doing their greatest to make sure that the welfare is attended to.
“Moreover, the NANNM, which is the umbrella physique (of nurses and midwives) is doing rather a lot. I do know that there was loads of dialogue with the honourable Minister some weeks again, and all associated to their welfare. The affiliation that’s accountable for that’s doing its greatest to make sure that the welfare is improved drastically,” he mentioned.