‘Nigeria has less than 125, 000 active nurses’

There are less than 125, 000 active nurses caring for the health care needs of over 200 million Nigerians, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has said.

The National President of the association, Comrade Abdurafiu Adeniji made the disclosure Tuesday during the 7th quadrennial national delegates conference of the association in Abuja.

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This is happening even as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic , he said.

He said the country is faced with inadequate manpower in nursing , and is supposed to have 800, 000 nurses serving her healthcare needs.

He said, “Nigeria with a population of 200 million is supposed to have 800, 000 active nurses servicing the health needs of the people. But our database indicated that we have less than 125, 000 actives nurses doing the work of 800, 000 nurses in Nigeria.

“As we are producing them, some countries of the world are already waiting by the corner, luring them with good packages and conducive working environment.

“Similarly, many registered ones with years of experience are retiring on daily basis but there is no replacement.”

He said nursing education in Nigeria is nothing to write home about because of poor funding for institutions, thereby making the production of nurses and midwives at the lowest end.

“The ravaging COVID-19 pandemic further worsened the situation and has greatly affected us in many phases,” he said.

Registrar , Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria , Alhaji Faruk Umar Abubakar , said the council was putting in place measures to address the acute shortage of nurses and midwives by producing more , and ensuring they are available at all levels of healthcare.

He said the board of the council has approved the creation of nine additional zonal offices of the council as part of measures to address quackery. He said they will be located in Adamawa, Maiduguri, owerri, Calabar, Benin, Kano, Makurdi, Akure and Ibadan .

The National President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said nurses have remained at the forefront in ensuring that the casualty to COVID-19 in Nigeria is not like that of other countries .

He called for life insurance cover for health workers as done in others climes ,saying that even with the second wave government was owning health workers many arrears.

While urging government t to respect agreement with health workers to motivate them, he said privatization of healthcare would not augur well for the country.