Japa: Nurses, midwives ask FG to create separate salary structure

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called on the federal government to approve the creation of a special separate salary package called Enhanced Nurses Salary Structure (ENSS).

The association said doing so would motivate nurses and midwives in the country to reduce migration out of the country.

This was part of the demands of the association during the opening ceremony of the International Nurses and Midwives’ Day on Tuesday in Abuja.

The national president of the association, Michael Ekuma Nnachi,  also called on the government to implement an upward review of nurses’ salaries to effectively address brain drain.

Nnachi said the leadership of the association has held a series of meetings with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) following the outrage that greeted its recent circular on verification of certificate(s) by applicants to foreign nursing boards/councils.

The NANNM president said following the meeting, the issue of letter of good standing is to be handled by the head of nursing services of respective facilities while the issue of verification for six months was stepped down.

He said that the application fee remains status quo ante, while the two years post-qualification experience is now to be post-registration with the council.

“All the agreed reviewed guidelines will be uploaded on the council’s portal from the first week of March 2024,” he added.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to stop the implementation of the ‘Revised Guidelines for Verification of Nurses and Midwives Certificates’ it issued pending the investigation by the house.

It mandated the house committees on Health Institutions and Legislative Compliance to investigate the controversy surrounding the revised guidelines and report to the house within six weeks.