Some nurses within the nation have taken the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the Minister of Well being, amongst others, to courtroom over the brand new certificates verification pointers.
The NMCN had issued a round on February 7, 2024, revising the rules for making use of for verification of certificates for nurses and midwives.
The council said, amongst different issues, that candidates searching for verification of certificates from overseas nursing boards and councils will need to have two years of post-qualification expertise from the date of issuance of the everlasting training license.
The brand new pointers got here into impact on March 1, 2024.
However nurses and midwives, below the auspices of the Nationwide Affiliation of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, raised considerations that the revised NMCN pointers on certificates verification have been geared toward deterring them from going overseas in quest of greener pastures.
They’re significantly uncomfortable with the rules' provision {that a} nurse making use of for NMCN certification will need to have a minimal of two years of post-qualification expertise.
They’re additionally in opposition to the requirement {that a} nurse making use of for NMCN certification should acquire a certificates of fine standing from the Chief Government Officer of their office and from the final coaching establishment attended, whereas the appliance will take a minimal of six months to course of.
Because of this, nurses in Abuja and Lagos protested to demand the reversal of the brand new pointers.
Elevating their calls for, some disgruntled nurses on behalf of their colleagues dragged the Registrar, NMCN; the coordinating Minister of Well being and Social Affairs; Federal Ministry of Well being; and the Legal professional Basic of the Federation on the Nationwide Industrial Courtroom, Abuja.
The complainants within the lawsuit marked: NICN/ABJ/76/2024, are Desmond Aigbe; Kelvin Ossai; Catherine Olatunji-Kuyoro; Tamunobi berry; Osemwengie Osagie; Abiola Olaniyan; Idowu Olabode and Olumide Olurankinse.
They urge the courtroom to restrain the defendants and their brokers from executing the NMCN round pending the end result of the lawsuit.
The nurses additionally urged the courtroom to droop the entry into power of the brand new pointers.
They search “an interim order suspending the graduation of the revised pointers for the verification of certificates(s) of the second defendant with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Of Nigeria, beforehand proposed to take impact from March 7, 2024, as directed within the second defendant's round. dated February 7, 2024, pending the listening to and determination of the writ petitioners/candidates on this go well with.”
In addition they need “an interim injunction restraining the defendants, their associates, parastatals, topics, counterparts and brokers from taking additional steps which will impede, prohibit or violate the constitutional rights and freedom of nurses and midwives in Nigeria to maneuver to the Nigerian state to to migrate.” nation to hunt higher profession alternatives and coaching overseas.”
Throughout proceedings on Wednesday, counsel for the complaints, Ode Evans, informed the courtroom he had simply obtained the preliminary objection from the primary and second defendants.
He requested the courtroom to adjourn the case in order that he might reply to their requests.
Evans stated: “I acknowledged receipt of the appliance from the primary and second defendants this morning. We’ll ask for a date by which we are able to submit our solutions.”
Decide Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae adjourned the case to Might 20 for listening to.
She ordered that discover of the listening to be served on the Federal Ministry of Well being and the Legal professional Basic of the Federation, who had no authorized illustration in courtroom.
