The Nurses and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN, has finally reopened its portal for verification of nurses and midwives' certificates.
We gathered that the Council's portal became operational again on Saturday after it was deactivated in December 2023.
However, the NMCN is yet to issue an official statement about the latest development.
This comes amid the ultimatum by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) to the Nigerian government to address the long-standing demands of the nurses.
NANNM said the government should address those demands within 15 days to avoid an industrial action.
The ultimatum would have come into effect by today, Monday, 16th September, 2024.
The association is seeking the immediate reopening of Nurses' Verification Portal, enhanced Nurses' Salary Structure, and the creation of a Department of Nursing, among other things.
We gathered that before the reopening of the portal, there had been a series of meetings with the critical stakeholders, including the Minister of Health, NMCN, and NANNM to resolve the matter.
Also, the National Assembly had twice urged the NMCN to open its site and commence verification of Nurses and Midwives based on its former guidelines pending the conclusion of an investigation by the House Committee on Health Institutions.
The National Secretary of Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria, GNAN, Philip Eteng, who spoke to DAILY POST about the development, stated that negotiation between the minister of health and Nigerian nurses and midwives was still ongoing.
He said that the outcome from the first day of the meeting led to the reopening.
"They have been on the negotiation table since yesterday. Today is the second day of negotiation with the minister of health.
"From what's circulating, the outcome from the first day of the meeting led to the reopening.
"What we heard before now is that the minister is yet to give approval for the portal to be reopened.
"So, possibly for the portal to be reopened today was due to the negotiation because it was one of the demands that NANNM presented. The meeting is still ongoing. You will get further details," Eteng said.
Also, a nurse in one of the nation's foremost university teaching hospitals, who spoke anonymously to DAILY POST, confirmed that the portal had been reopened.
The nurse stated that although she was able to assess the Council's portal, they were advised by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives to hold on till Wednesday when other minor issues must have been resolved.
According to her, the verification guidelines largely still remained the same, except on the issue of a letter of clear standing.
"Yes, it's now reopened. However, there are a few things that they added, which we are still confused about.
"We have been advised to hold on till Wednesday next week. It has been reopened. Personally, I was able to assess the portal.
"One of the new requirements they added is that one has to get a letter of clear standing from the last nursing institution attended.
"For those that are working, one will be cleared from the head of nursing service, against the former clause that it has to be gotten from the Chief Medical Director.
"We are not worried about it in any way. We've been advised to hold on till Wednesday next week," she said.
Also speaking to DAILY POST about the matter, the President of Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria, GNAN, Mr Ojo Opeyemi confirmed that the portal has been reopened.
He said his association was still looking at some conditions put in the guidelines and wouldn't want to rush to pass judgement based on the few complaints gotten so far.
"Yes, they have reopened the portal. We are still looking at some conditions they put in the guidelines.
"Some people are still making their complaints, and we want to be sure that those things are general things.
"Not until we get more information from people who are doing their verification so that we won't judge a little brief from somebody as a general issue.
"We will get to know about the conditions, but it seems some of the conditions we are not happy about were implemented," Opeyemi said.
Before now, We reported how hundreds of Nigerian nurses were stranded following NMCN's continuous closure of its portal for verification of nurses' certificates.
It was gathered that while many nurses were stranded in different countries abroad, others were on the verge of being deported.
The development emerged when Nursing boards in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK stopped accepting nursing certificates from Nigeria because they could not verify their authenticity.
The saga started in February 2024 after the NMCN expressed worry that over 42,000 nurses left the country in the last three years to seek greener pastures in foreign countries.
According to the council, over 15,000 nurses left Nigeria in 2023 alone amid poor healthcare infrastructure, inadequate funding, poor welfare, and working conditions in the health sector.
Seemingly worried by the imminent threat of brain drain in the nation's health sector, the Council introduced revised guidelines for verifying nursing certificates to address the crisis.
We reported that the NMCN, in its February 7, 2024, memo outlined the revised guidelines and requirements to be met by all applicants seeking the verification of certificates to foreign nursing boards/councils.
The Council stated that applicants seeking verification of certificates to foreign nursing boards and councils must have two years of qualification experience and pay a non-refundable application fee, among other requirements.
However, stakeholders in the health sector raised their concerns over the new circular.
Nurses and other health workers also kicked against the policy, insisting the guidelines and requirements were typical of a denial of human rights.
They were particularly uncomfortable with the provision in the guidelines which stated that a nurse seeking NMCN certification must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience.
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