Nurses from both public and private hospitals in Lagos State took to the streets on Monday to protest against the newly issued guidelines for verifying certificates, Punch reports. Organized under the banner of Naija Nurses Forum, the nurses expressed their dissatisfaction with what they termed as oppressive measures and urged the Federal Government to reopen the verification portal without imposing further conditions.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) issued a memorandum dated February 7, 2024, outlining revised guidelines for verifying certificates by nurses and midwives. According to the memo, eligible applicants must possess a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of the permanent practicing license issuance.
The memo was distributed to various stakeholders including state ministries of Health, university teaching hospitals, specialist and federal medical centers, among others.
However, the nurses, feeling aggrieved by the new guidelines, demanded the council to reverse its decision within 48 hours. The protest, which PUNCH Healthwise monitored, saw nurses marching along Lagos streets from Harvey Road to UNILAG Road, and culminating at Neuropsychiatrist Hospital, Yaba, chanting slogans and carrying placards.
Some of the placards displayed messages such as: “We no gree for NMCN free Nigeria Nurses”, “Nurses no be slaves No to a letter of good standing from anybody”, “We are not here to fight we just want the policy withdrawn,” and “Let nurses breath, say no to NMCN verification rules”.
Thomas Abiodun, the coordinator of the Naija Nurses Forum, condemned the new verification guidelines, labeling them as a deliberate attempt to obstruct nurses from exploring better opportunities. Abiodun emphasized that the directive not only infringes upon nurses’ basic human rights but also brings embarrassment to the nursing profession.
In her statement, Abiodun asserted, “The directive is very embarrassing. It’s an attempt to frustrate the nurses from seeking greener pastures and self-development. It is really embarrassing, but we will take measures to look at it. We are saying no to this and we want the government to reverse this within 48 hours. We want them to revisit these guidelines; it is wrong and wicked.”