Sunday, September 8, 2024 -Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad have been left desolate over the sudden deactivation of the verification portal by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
The portal was deactivated in February 2024, causing healthcare
workers to encounter hurdles in renewing their licences and meeting the
regulatory requirements set by international bodies.
Already, some nurses without the necessary
verification from the NMCN find themselves in violation of visa conditions and
employment laws, resulting in legal consequences.
Many nurses abroad, including in the
United Kingdom and the United States, have been forced to return to Nigeria
over the issue.
A nurse who spoke to Punch recalled how he
was thrilled to join the UK Trust, a prestigious healthcare organisation, to
contribute his skills to the country’s medical community after moving from
Nigeria in September 2023.
His hope was, however, dashed when the
council deactivated the verification portal.
He claimed to have completed a series
of exams and navigated the complex process of document checks, and all that
remained was to get his pin as a registered nurse from the verification portal.
Desperate to resolve the issue, he said he
reached out to the NMCN, hoping for assistance. However, the council’s policy
prevented any further verification on the closed portal.
The UK Trust, bound by its policies,
reportedly terminated his employment due to his inability to meet the
certification criteria.
He said, “The situation is not only
saddening but also suicidal. My career is stagnated because the portal is
closed. I’m in Nigeria now. I have gone to the nursing council on several
occasions to tell them that even if they should write a letter of good standing
and send it to them, they would be happy to acknowledge it. But my efforts were
futile.
“Meanwhile, the court case against the
council regarding the verification process has been withdrawn, but the portal
remains closed. This is a matter that has affected even many people who refused
to speak up at that time. In the next few weeks, the number of nurses who will
return to this country to either commit suicide or start afresh will be many.”
Voicing her concerns, a worried
Nigerian nurse based in the UK, who identified herself only as Ovie, said
without completing her verification, she would be unable to become a registered
nurse, lamenting that this had created uncertainty about her future.
“I am a registered nurse from
Nigeria, and I moved to the UK in February this year to pursue a nursing top-up
programme to become a UK-registered nurse. My initial plan was to complete my
verification process while studying so that I could work as a part-time nurse
to pay tuition fees and support myself.
“Unfortunately, just before I
arrived, the NMCN suspended the verification for nurses, which has prevented me
from pursuing my registration.
“What initially seemed like a temporary
maintenance issue has turned into months of uncertainty, with no clear timeline
for when the verification process will resume. This has made it challenging to
navigate my studies, future career plans, and overall stay in the UK.
“The ongoing suspension of the
verification process has significant implications for me. Without completing my
verification, I am unable to become a registered nurse in the UK, which limits
my employment opportunities and affects my ability to support myself
financially. This has created uncertainty about my future as I approach the end
of my studies,” she explained.
The nurse lamented that she risked
deportation due to the delay in her verification.
She said, “My student visa will
expire soon, and without the ability to work as a nurse, I am at risk of having
to return to Nigeria or seek alternative means to remain in th Another nurse,
who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of intimidation, said her
passion for nursing led her to the UK, but the journey did not proceed as
smoothly as she hoped. She is also faced with the same hurdle—the closure of
the verification portal.
The closure meant she could not
schedule her CBT, and without it, she was stuck in limbo.
“I travelled to the UK last year (not
as a registered nurse) and passed my English test this January. I have not been
able to write a Computer-Based Test to proceed to other things due to the
closure of the verification portal,” she said.
A nurse based in Saudi Arabia,
identified as Hannah, said she travelled to the country in 2023 to practise as
a nurse, but her future had become uncertain.
She told the
publication that the weight of the situation was taking a toll on her.
Meanwhile, the President of the
National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Michael Nnachi, told Punch
that the group had engaged the government on several demands, including the
reopening of the portal.
He noted that a committee was
recently formed to review ongoing discussions.
He said, “If we don’t receive a
positive response soon, I can’t predict what will happen next. I believe the
message we are sending is that we have engaged the government. I can’t give an
exact date, whether tomorrow or the day after, but I know there is hope. I
prefer not to speak beyond what I am authorised to say.
“I would advise our affected members
to remain patient. We are deeply concerned about the difficulties they are
facing, and we are not comfortable with the situation. However, patience is
necessary at this time. Finally, in many cases, even when agreements are
reached with the government, they often fail to fulfil their promises. I remain
hopeful and expect a positive response from the government. There is hope.”
The Deputy National President of the
association, Abubakar Shehu, also expressed displeasure over the delay in
activating the verification portal.
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