House of Representatives has ordered the Nurses and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to immediately stop the implementation of certificate verification guidelines for nurses billed to take effect from March 1, 2024.
  
The NMCN had announced revised guidelines and requirements for individuals applying for certificate verification with foreign nursing boards/councils, a development that has sparked protest. 
  
In the new rules, applicants are required by the council to have no fewer than two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of their permanent practising licence.
  
The lawmakers, however, observed that the two years post-qualification experience before verification of certificate is unreasonable, arbitrary and unfair. 
  
Adopting a motion of urgent public importance, sponsored by Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom), the House directed its Committee on Health Institutions to investigate the issue and report back to the House.
  
According to them, the new rules restrict the freedom of nurses seeking education or additional skills and training in foreign universities. Moving the motion, Umoh stated that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, in a memo dated February 7, put in place fresh guidelines for the verification of certificates of practising nurses in the country.
  
The lawmaker said the enactment of the Nursing and Midwifery (Registration, etc.) Act, Cap. N143, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, by the National Assembly was aimed at providing regulations and control of the practice of nursing and midwifery in Nigeria.
  
He said the council had issued revised guidelines for verification of certificate(s) dated February 7, 2024, which would come into force on March 1, 2024.
  
According to him, the guidelines stipulate that applicants for verification must have a minimum of two years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of permanent practice licence; obtain a letter of good standing from the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant’s place of work and the last training institution attended, and that processing of application shall take a minimum of six months.
  
He said further that there had been concerns, protests and stiff opposition to the implementation of the revised guidelines by health professionals led by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
  
He said: “Verification of certificates is to confirm and authenticate an already existing certificate issued by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, therefore the requirement for two years post-qualification experience before verification of certificate is unreasonable, arbitrary and unfair, as it may, among other things, restrict the freedom of nurses seeking education or additional skills and training in foreign universities.”