The Nurses and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN, has lastly reopened its portal for verification of nurses and midwives’ certificates.
DAILY POST gathered that the Council’s portal grew to become operational once more on Saturday after it was deactivated in December 2023.
Nevertheless, the NMCN is but to situation an official assertion in regards to the newest growth.
This comes amid the ultimatum by the Nationwide Affiliation of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) to the Nigerian authorities to handle the long-standing calls for of the nurses.
NANNM stated the federal government ought to handle these calls for inside 15 days to keep away from an industrial motion.
The ultimatum would have come into impact by in the present day, Monday, sixteenth September, 2024.
The affiliation is looking for the fast reopening of Nurses’ Verification Portal, enhanced Nurses’ Wage Construction, and the creation of a Division of Nursing, amongst different issues.
DAILY POST gathered that earlier than the reopening of the portal, there had been a collection of conferences with the crucial stakeholders, together with the Minister of Well being, NMCN, and NANNM to resolve the matter.
Additionally, the Nationwide Meeting had twice urged the NMCN to open its website and begin verification of Nurses and Midwives based mostly on its former pointers pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Home Committee on Well being Establishments.
The Nationwide Secretary of Graduate Nurses Affiliation of Nigeria, GNAN, Philip Eteng, who spoke to DAILY POST in regards to the growth, acknowledged that negotiation between the minister of well being and Nigerian nurses and midwives was nonetheless ongoing.
He stated that the end result from the primary day of the assembly led to the reopening.
“They’ve been on the negotiation desk since yesterday. In the present day is the second day of negotiation with the minister of well being.
“From what’s circulating, the end result from the primary day of the assembly led to the reopening.
“What we heard earlier than now could be that the minister is but to present approval for the portal to be reopened.
“So, probably for the portal to be reopened in the present day was as a result of negotiation as a result of it was one of many calls for that NANNM introduced. The assembly continues to be ongoing. You’re going to get additional particulars,” Eteng stated.
Additionally, a nurse in one of many nation’s foremost college instructing hospitals, who spoke anonymously to DAILY POST, confirmed that the portal had been reopened.
The nurse acknowledged that though she was capable of assess the Council’s portal, they had been suggested by the Nationwide Affiliation of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives to carry on until Wednesday when different minor points will need to have been resolved.
Based on her, the verification pointers largely nonetheless remained the identical, besides on the difficulty of a letter of clear standing.
“Sure, it’s now reopened. Nevertheless, there are some things that they added, which we’re nonetheless confused about.
“We now have been suggested to carry on until Wednesday subsequent week. It has been reopened. Personally, I used to be capable of assess the portal.
“One of many new necessities they added is that one has to get a letter of clear standing from the final nursing establishment attended.
“For these which might be working, one shall be cleared from the top of nursing service, towards the previous clause that it must be gotten from the Chief Medical Director.
“We’re not fearful about it in any method. We’ve been suggested to carry on until Wednesday subsequent week,” she stated.
Additionally chatting with DAILY POST in regards to the matter, the President of Graduate Nurses Affiliation of Nigeria, GNAN, Mr Ojo Opeyemi confirmed that the portal has been reopened.
He stated his affiliation was nonetheless some circumstances put within the pointers and wouldn’t wish to rush to go judgement based mostly on the few complaints gotten to date.
“Sure, they’ve reopened the portal. We’re nonetheless some circumstances they put within the pointers.
“Some individuals are nonetheless making their complaints, and we wish to make sure that these issues are basic issues.
“Not till we get extra info from people who find themselves doing their verification in order that we gained’t choose a bit of temporary from any person as a basic situation.
“We are going to get to know in regards to the circumstances, but it surely appears among the circumstances we aren’t glad about had been carried out,” Opeyemi stated.
Prior to now, DAILY POST reported how a whole lot of Nigerian nurses had been stranded following NMCN’s steady closure of its portal for verification of nurses’ certificates.
It was gathered that whereas many nurses had been stranded in numerous international locations overseas, others had been on the verge of being deported.
The event emerged when Nursing boards within the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK stopped accepting nursing certificates from Nigeria as a result of they might not confirm their authenticity.
The saga began in February 2024 after the NMCN expressed fear that over 42,000 nurses left the nation within the final three years to hunt greener pastures in overseas international locations.
Based on the council, over 15,000 nurses left Nigeria in 2023 alone amid poor healthcare infrastructure, insufficient funding, poor welfare, and dealing circumstances within the well being sector.
Seemingly fearful by the upcoming menace of mind drain within the nation’s well being sector, the Council launched revised pointers for verifying nursing certificates to handle the disaster.
DAILY POST reported that the NMCN, in its February 7, 2024, memo outlined the revised pointers and necessities to be met by all candidates looking for the verification of certificates to overseas nursing boards/councils.
The Council acknowledged that candidates looking for verification of certificates to overseas nursing boards and councils will need to have two years of qualification expertise and pay a non-refundable software payment, amongst different necessities.
Nevertheless, stakeholders within the well being sector raised their considerations over the brand new round.
Nurses and different well being staff additionally kicked towards the coverage, insisting the rules and necessities had been typical of a denial of human rights.
They had been notably uncomfortable with the supply within the pointers which acknowledged {that a} nurse looking for NMCN certification will need to have a minimal of two years post-qualification expertise.
