[News] Health workers kick against new guidelines that require Nigerian nurses to work for two years post qualification before they can practice abroad

Nigerian nurses and other health workers have kicked against the conditions imposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) on all applicants seeking verification of certificate(s) to foreign nursing boards or councils.

 

The Council in a memo dated February 7, 2024, outlined what it called the revised guidelines and requirements to be met by all applicants seeking the verification of certificate(s) to foreign nursing boards/councils.

 

The Council in the memo signed by its Registrar/CEO, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, said, “Applicants are to visit https://licence.men.gov.ng/ and log in to initiate verification application by clicking on the verification application link. “A non-refundable fee per application shall be paid for verification to 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 (2) years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of permanent practicing licence. Any application with provisional licence shall be rejected outrightly.

 

“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 institution 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.

 

“Applicants must have an active practicing licence with a minimum of six months to expiration date. Applicant must upload Certificate(s) of Registration only. Notification of Registration is not acceptable.

 

“The applicant shall receive prompt notice via his/her email and dashboard on the status of the verification application.

 

“Please note: Processing of verification application takes a minimum of six (6) months. All applicants shall ensure that complete requirements are met before initiating verification application as incomplete documentation shall not be processed.

 

“The implementation of this guideline takes effect from 1st March 2024. All pending verification applications before this revised guideline will be processed accordingly.

 

“Heads of nursing institutions should take note and bring the content of this circular to Nurses.”

 

Following the release of the guidelines, nurses and other health workers took to the X account of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to express outrage.

 

The health workers described the guidelines and requirements as a denial of human rights, stressing that there had never been any occasion where regulatory bodies asked for work experience or mandated years of service as a condition for verification.

 

In response to these developments, Nigerian nurses are planning a rally at the NMCN office in Abuja.

 

See some reactions from health workers below.