Nurses Protest Against New Verification Guidelines in Lagos, Abuja

Nigerian Nurses under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Lagos and Abuja chapters, on Monday, protested against Federal Government’s new certification verification guidelines in both Abuja, the nation’s capital city, and Lagos, Nigeria’s former capital.

The new guidelines were released by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

The nurses described the new guidelines as an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities, asking the council to address nurses’ welfare, salary scale, shortage of staff, and other rights.

Nurses and midwives in the country had earlier in the week lamented the deactivation of the NMCN verification portal since December 2023.

In 2023, the NANNM said over 75,000 nurses and midwives left the country in five years to seek greener pastures.

The nurses expressed displeasure over what they described as an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities, asking the council to address nurses’ welfare, salary scale, shortage of staff, and other rights.

The protest monitored by our correspondent was carried out at the NMCN’s office in Abuja and in Yaba, Lagos.

The NMCN had on February 7, 2024, issued a circular revising the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives.

The council also stated that applicants must have active practising licences with a minimum of six months to the expiration date, and processing of verification applications would take a minimum of six months.

It added that the implementation of the guidelines took effect from March 1, 2024

Meanwhile, on Monday, the nurses and midwives were at the NMCN office  singing and carrying placards around the premises peacefully.

Some of the placards read, “Address unemployment among nurses, address quakery, address nurses welfare.

“#No to verification rules. Stop frustrating the Nigerian nurses, we are going through a lot already, Protect nurses, protect healthcare,.NMCN, we say no to the verification rules,.NMCN, don’t reduce nurses.”