The Nigerian Government on Tuesday pledged to resolve issues raised by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in the country.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health Matters, Dr Salma Anas said this at a press briefing in Abuja while speaking on the state of healthcare, maternal and child health in the country.
Dr Anas said the government recognizes the contributions of all healthcare professionals to the development of the country.
“Nurses are the faces of the health facilities, because when you go to a healthcare facility, it is the nurse or midwife that does so much for you, and they spend more time with our patients than any other person,” she said.
“So, they are very important to us and very critical in terms of nursing care and the delivery of health care, even when there are no doctors.”
She noted that President Tinubu is committed to improving the working environment and welfare of healthcare workers in the country.
Dr Anas said: “We are committed in this administration and it is part of the priorities under the human resources issues. One area we want to address in creating an enabling environment is to also address the issue of rivalry.
“We are working tirelessly to address all the conflict issues and all the areas that will motivate our nurses and midwives, and all other health workers at the same time.“
Background
Lafiya360 reported how the nurses and midwives staged a protest at the NMCN’s offices in Abuja and Lagos, respectively to express their displeasure over what they described as an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities.
They urged the council to address concerns such as nurses’ welfare, salary scale, staff shortages, and other rights.
The nursing council, in its revised guidelines stated that applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence.