Nigeria loses 42,000 nurses to foreign countries, 15,000 in 2023 alone
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
More than 42,000 Nigerians nurses have emigrated for better work conditions in the past three years, laments the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), whose plan to slow down the rate has sparked protests from the health workers.
Up to 15,000 nurses left in 2023 alone, NMCN Registrar Faruk Abubakar disclosed on Channels Television on Tuesday.
“42,000 nurses left the country in the last three years. Last year alone, it was over 15,000; the number is increasing year by year,” he said in defence of a new NMCN rule that nurses seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards to have a two-year post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of permanent practising licence.
Nurses have countered the rule is meant to curb their human rights and delay their search for better job offers abroad.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) on Monday protested at the headquarters of the NMCN in Abuja.
The nurses and midwives sang songs and displayed placards around the premises. Some of the placards read:
- “Address unemployment among nurses, address quackery, address nurses welfare”
- “#No to verification rules”
- “Stop frustrating Nigerian nurses; we are going through a lot already. Protect nurses, protect healthcare, NMCN; we say no to the verification rules, NMCN; don’t reduce nurses”
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Abuja plans to improve welfare of nurses
Abubarkar disclosed on the television programme government plans to improve both the welfare and working conditions of nurses so as to encourage them to stay back. in the country.
“The Federal Minister of Health and the Minister of State for Health are working hard to ensure a very conducive working environment, with the provision of state-of-the-art equipment, and instruments that will help them provide quality care for Nigerians,” he said.
“And I want to assure that within a couple of months, a lot has been integrated and provided in 2024 that will improve the welfare of the nurses that we are talking about. When talking about the salary they are talking about, I think it’s a general phenomenon, and I believe it’s a general thing.
“There is a lot of progress that is going on to review the salary, and nurses are also included in that policy. I think it’s a general phenomenon; all other sectors are also complaining, and the government is doing a lot.”
An average nurse currently receives N135,000 as salary per month, Abubakar added.