By Luminous Jannamike

Nurses, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Abuja and Lagos chapters, have commenced a protest against the new verification certification guidelines released by the Nigeria and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

The protest was carried out in both cities, saw nurses and midwives singing and displaying placards around the premises.

The inscriptions on the placards read, “Address unemployment among nurses, address quakery, address nurses welfare, and “#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.”

The nurses in Abuja, complained over what they described as an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities.

They are asking the council to address nurses’ welfare, salary scale, shortage of staff, and other rights.

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

The council’s circular was released after a report of the deactivation of the verification portal on NMCN’s website since December 2023.

The circular signed by the Registrar of the Council, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, read:  “A non-refundable fee per application shall be paid for verification by foreign boards of nursing as specified on the portal.

This shall cover the cost of courier services to the applicant’s institution(s) of training, place of work, and foreign board.

“Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence. Any application with a provisional licence shall be rejected outright.