Group Condemns Rise In Number Of Unqualified Nurses
Nigerian Nurses Cry Out Over Increase Rate of Quacks In The Profession
Nigerian Nurses
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has condemned the rate at which the numbers of unqualified nurses crowd the profession.
The group has however sought for collaboration with stakeholders in the medical profession to eradicate the menace.
NIGERIA NEWS gathered that this appeal was made by Mr Abdulrafiu Adeniji, the president of the group, during a news conference organised to mark the end of the commemoration of International Nurses Week and the International Day of Midwives yesterday in FCT.
The events tagged “Nurses: A Leading Voice: Health is A Human Right”; “Midwives: Leading with Quality Care” were held on 6 and 5 of May respectively.
Speaking during the events, Adeniji noted that quackery, mismanagement, insecurity, poor remuneration, inattention to the plight of nurses and other health workers are major challenges being confronted in the profession.
He further noted that: “the fight against quackery should not be left for professionals alone. “Stakeholders and indeed the entire society must join hands with practitioners to tackle the menace.”
He called on stakeholders not to live the fight against quack nurses in the country for the group alone. Quoting him, “All hands must be on deck to deal with the problem, just the way we fought the scourge of Ebola disease and Lassa fever. ”
Speaking further, he said:“The process of health facility classification, task sharing and shifting must take note of professional ethics, standards of practice, professional jurisdiction and safety of life.”
He added that “nurses and midwives can provide evidence-based and people-centred reproductive health services and this is a privilege that will gladly bear despite the numerous challenges they face.”
He further explains the importance of the two events as he claimed that they are both directed towards honouring the dedication and services of nurses and midwives and also to ensure that the attention of government and policymakers was drawn toward the importance of the professionals.
Adeniji further noted that this year’s event is an unprecedented one “because it marks the 40th anniversary of the famous Alma-Ata Declaration on Health in 1978.”
A Declaration which was adopted at the International Conference on Primary Health Care (PHC), Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan (formerly Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic).
