Nurses in Lagos protest new certificate verification guidelines

Nurses that work in public and private hospitals in Lagos State, on Monday took to the streets, to protest against the new guidelines for verification of certificates.

They expressed their displeasure over what they described as oppression.

The nurses also urged the Federal Government to reopen the verification portal without conditions.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria issued a memo dated February 7, 2024, revising the guidelines for verification of certificates by nurses and midwives.

The NMCN in the memo said eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence.

The memo was addressed to all state ministries of Health, university teaching hospitals, specialist and federal medical centres, NANNM headquarters, universities offering nursing programmes, colleges of nursing sciences, schools of nursing and midwifery, all post-basic nursing programmes, and all nursing and midwifery councils’ zonal offices.

The aggrieved nurses, however, kicked against the new verification guidelines, asking the council to reverse the new guidelines within 48 hours.

The protest monitored by PUNCH Healthwise was carried out on Lagos streets from Harvey Road to UNILAG Road, to Neuropsychiatrist Hospital, Yaba.

The aggrieved nurses were seen singing and carrying placards as they protested.

Some of the placards read: “We no gree for NMCN free Nigeria Nurses”, “Nurses no be slaves No to a letter of good standing from anybody”, “We are not here to fight we just want the policy withdrawn”, “Let nurses breath, say no to NMCN verification rules”.