Communiqué Issued At The End Of The Inaugural Men In Nursing And Midwifery (Nigeria) Leadership Conference
COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE INAUGURAL MEN IN NURSING AND MIDWIFERY (NIGERIA) LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE HELD AT AYALLA HOTELS, AREA 11, GARKI, ABUJA BETWEEN 29TH NOVEMBER AND 2ND DECEMBER, 2017.
THEME: 30 x 20: CHOSE CARE
PRESENTATIONS
▷ Leadership development for Men in Nursing
▷ Career Opportunities and Networking
▷ Practical approach to Care Kit (PACK)
▷ Policy development and advocacy
▷ Performance Based Financing (PBF)
▷ Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP)
▷ Transformational Leadership
▷ Where are the Men in Nursing?
▷ Family Bond Nursing
▷ Clinical Research in Nursing
Preamble
The First Leadership Conference for the Men in Nursing & Midwifery organized by “The LAMP Africa” and the “American Association for Men in Nursing(AAMN), saw the birth and inauguration of the Men in Nursing Assembly of Nigeria (MNAN). The Assembly therefore wishes to appreciate the efforts of the organizers (The LAMP Africa & AAMN), as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Health, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the Lead Nurse Africa, Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja, Ayalla Hotel and all the good people that contributed in one way or the other to make the event a resounding success.
The opening ceremony
The flag-off of the ceremony was done by the Honorable Minister of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Isaac F. Adewole, ably represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Wapada .I. Balami. The event was chaired by Dr. Jonas Nguh, Global Initiative Officer of American Association of Men in Nursing, who inaugurated the association. Other Dignitaries that graced the event included Alhaji (Nurse) Faruk Umar Abubarkar, the registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) represented by Mr. Balarabe S., the head of Human Resources, NMCN, Dr. Edna Onwuchekwa, the Director of Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health; Chief (Hon.) Solomon E.O. Egwuenu, the National President of the University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA) represented by UGONSA National Secretary, Nurse Goodluck I. Nshi; Hajia Binta Ismail, the National Project Coordinator, Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP) represented by Pharm. Mohammed Baba, Deputy project coordinator NSHIP, Mr. Balarabe Gaya, the Head, Monitoring and Evaluation, Women for Health, Kano State, Mrs.Chinwe Onumonu, National Cordinator, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP); Evelyn Amoako (from Ghana), the Head of Institutional Public Health and Deputy Head of Nursing Services, St-Dominic Hospital, Akwiti, Ghana, Mrs. Grace Eleiri Director Nursing HMB FCDA ably represented by Mr Ibrahim Dabo among others.
There were goodwill messages from the dignitaries. Professional/scientific Sessions were anchored by Dr. Jonas Nguh, Engr. Daisi Alabi, Dr. Edna Onwuchekwa, Hajia Binta Ismail, Mr. Balarabe Gaya, Nurse Ogbolu Collins Ndubuisi, Mrs.Chinwe Onumonu, Nurse Evelyn Amoako, Nurse Julie Mogbo and Nurse Afoi B. Barry. Technical sessions were chaired by Nurse Afoi B. Barry, who was appointed the preterm President of the Association.
LAUNCH OF MENEMO SCHOLARSHIP FUND
MENEMO scholarship fund, a scholarship fund in commemoration of Dr. Jonas Nguh’s father, was launched and Students were advised to apply and write an essay on what to do with their knowledge upon graduation as a criterion to access the fund. At the launch of the fund during the conference, the following students were beneficiaries:
Fadila Amina Ibrahim School of Midwifery, FCT Abuja
Victoria Joshua School of Midwifery, FCT, Abuja
Oyewole Olawale Abel School of Nursing, Obafemi Awolowo Teaching
Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
RESOLUTIONS
Following an elaborate and extensive discussions on specific issues affecting males in the profession of nursing and midwifery and on general issues affecting the profession in Nigeria, the assembly resolved as follow:
1. The Assembly called on all stakeholders in the nursing profession to recognize and pursue the non-negotiable need for unity and come together to pursue a common goal to promote the professional growth and development of nurses and the nursing profession.
2. That the assembly shall be a parliament for articulation and execution of projects that enhance enrolment and commitment of men to the nursing and midwifery project in Nigeria, through promotion of activities that enhances professionalism, research, re-orientation, conflict resolutions, fostering of peace and unity and creation of scholarship opportunities at all levels of nursing education.
3. The assembly called for commencement of award of nursing degree in Nigeria as a dual honours of Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery (NBBM) as obtains in Medicine (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery [MBBS]) to foster easy transition of Registered Midwives (RMs) to baccalaureate education upon graduation from schools of midwifery.
4. The assembly called for an affirmative action of minimum of 30% enrolment of men in schools of nursing and midwifery by the year 2020 and called on the NMCN to make it a policy to induce compliance from principals of schools of nursing and midwifery.
5. The assembly observed that the world health’s forum for nurses is yet to be domesticated in Nigeria and appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to put every necessary machinery in motion to domesticate the WHO’s forum for nurses in Nigeria.
6. The assembly emphasized the need to restructure nursing education in Nigeria such that it enhances vertical growth up the educational ladder (from RN to BNSc, to MSc and to PhD) rather than the current scenario of moving from diploma to degree and from degree to diploma (in pursuit of post-basics) and called for upgrade of post-basic programmes to post-graduate levels as masters and Ph.Ds.
7. The Assembly noted with sadness that the pioneer commendable roles played by men towards the development and advancement of nursing as a profession are missing in many current nursing textbooks and called on authors of nursing textbooks to review their books and reflect the outstanding roles played by men in development of nursing.
8. The assembly advised nurses to look beyond physical barriers and focus on the inner light within and aspire to be leaders who shall change the face of the world.
9. Assembly frowned at the high indices of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Nigeria and called on adoption of transparent result-based approach by government and other concerned stakeholders in strengthening institutional capacities in curbing the menace of high maternal and child mortality and morbidity in Nigeria.
10. The assembly encouraged nurses and midwives as the frontline caregivers to improve the face of healthcare delivery in Nigeria through strategic measuring and evaluation approach that promotes continual review of services, strengthens nursing process and improves evidence-based nursing practice.
11. Assembly called on FG to support States in revamping primary and secondary healthcare system and making them viable for effective and efficient integrated healthcare services at grassroots’ levels.
12. The Assembly frowned at obsolesce of equipment, and lack of resources for basic healthcare delivery in Nigeria and called on government at all levels to be committed to upgrading healthcare infrastructures and provision of modern equipments as well as re-training of nurses and midwives through collaborative exchange programmes with climes with advanced health system to foster operation at or close to international best practices.
13. Assembly called on all nurse leaders to live by example and show a shining example of transformational leadership.
14. Finally, the assembly thanked all the participants for making out time to attend the event and thanked the American Association of Men in Nursing for its selfless sacrifices that helped make the inauguration of the assembly in Nigeria a reality.
Communique Drafting Committee Members
Nur. Nshi Goodluck I.
Comrade Ibrahim A. Garba
Nur. Aloysius Okorie
Nur. Galadima Job
Abosade Obafemi
