Posted on: Fri 17-01-2020

Dear Sir/Madam,

STRENGTHENING NURSING AND MIDWIFERY HUMAN RESOURCES IN NIGERIA

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as a regulatory body for nursing and midwifery education and practice in Nigeria is concerned with inadequate human resources for providing health care services and high migration of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives to other countries.

Regrettably, the maternal/infant and child morbidity and mortality rate in Nigeria remained high despite all government efforts. The current situation of about 40,000 maternal deaths annually with 1 in every 22 woman dying in pregnancy and child birth (FMOH, 2019) and infant mortality of about 89 death per 1000 live births (USAID, 2018) are undesirable and primarily linked to shortage of human capital.

This ugly situation can be reversed if all the health care facilities in Nigeria are adequately covered by health professionals including Nurses and Midwives.

The council has identified the presence of Nurses and Midwives workforce in health care facilities, proving 24 hours professional services as a pillar to strengthening the health care delivery systems and reduction of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.

In view of the foregoing, and as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration and celebration of 2020 year of the Nurse and Midwife in Nigeria, the council has initiated a proposal that will increase nursing and midwifery human resources and also ensure their presence not only in the urban cities but also at the grassroots for rendering 24 hours’ services.

The council is therefore requesting proprietors of the nursing and midwifery training institutions that have the capacity and are willing to train two streams of Nurses and Midwives per year to indicate their interest in writing on or before 31^st January, 2020 with evidence of human resources and physical facilities available for the training.

Please accept the assurances of my best regards, while anticipating your quick response to this request.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Faruk Umar Abubakar

Secretary – General/Registrar  

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