FG Tasks Nursing Council on Male Nurses’ Enrollment
The Federal Ministry of health has tasked the Nursing Council of Nigeria on the need to upscale the enrolment of the male folks in the nursing and midwifery profession in the country.
This, New Telegraph learnt was an effort towards changing the perception that nursing profession was an exclusive reserve for the women folk.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole who dropped the hint during the just concluded First Men in Nursing and Midwifery Leadership Conference in Abuja, said that men in nursing services have vital rolls to play in the healthcare system, hence the need to encourage more men to enroll into the profession.
Represented at the occasion by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Inuwa Balami, the minister charged the Nursing Council of Nigeria to ensure that more men get admission into the various nursing and midwifery schools in the country.
“I want to charge the nursing council of Nigeria to intensify effort to ensure that more men are admitted to the various schools of nursing and midwifery. The ratio of one male nurse to three female nurse will be significant achievement,” he said.
The minister also stressed that in a society where gender equality has gained a prominent position in almost governance discourse and policy formulation platforms, no profession should therefore be made an exclusive reserve of any particular gender.
“In our world today, every effort is being made to ensure gender equality in every profession and indeed every sphere of life. The nursing profession should therefore not be the exclusive preserve of women. More male should be encouraged to take up this profession.
“Men nurses have a significant role to play in the health sector. A recent report published by the US census bureau states that although the nursing profession remain overwhelmingly female, male representation is increasing. This has proven to be a positive development in terms of improved healthcare delivery which in time has facilitated health system strengthening effort in several part of the world.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Emmanuel Egom, the Chief Executive Officer of LAMP AFRICA and the initiator of the conference, said the conference was necessitated by the alarming rate of diseases in the country, which also calls for more synergy between healthcare providers.
He stressed that nursing and midwifery professionals are very essential in improving the quantity of healthcare, therefore the need to make them comfortable and also have a sense of acceptance in what they do.
He added that the conference was for the purpose of highlighting the existing gap in the profession, considering the gender issues that usually prompt ump especially in this part of the world where nursing and midwifery are dominated by the women folks
By: Caleb Onwe Abuja
New Telegraph News
