Nurses at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and Lagos are protesting the new verification certification guidelines released by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NCMN).
The ongoing protest holding concurrently at the NMCN’s offices in Abuja and Yaba, Lagos, with nurses in their scrub, displaying different placards against the new policy.
In a circular on Thursday, the NMCN announced that applicants seeking the verification of certificates to foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years post qualification experience.
The council also said applicants are required to pay a non-refundable fee per application, for verification to foreign boards of nursing as specified on the council’s portal.
“Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two (2) years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of permanent practicing licence. Any application with provisional licence shall be rejected out rightly,” the circular reads.
“The Council shall request a letter of Good Standing from the Chief Executive Officer of applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institutions attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
“Please note that Council shall not accept such letter(s) through the applicant”.
The statement has generated lots of reactions on social media, as nurses and other medical workers view the policy as violation of their rights to relocate.
The nurses are demanding an immediate withdrawal of the circular. They are also asking that the verification process should be completed in 48 hours and also be made free.
They are also demanding an increase in remuneration and hazard allowance.
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