The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), has called on the Federal Government to support nurses rendering health care services as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adeniji Alani, President of NANNM, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the health workers need such support from the Buhari-led government in order to discharge their duties effectively.
He called on the government to yield to the call from the World Health Organization (WHO) to governments globally to support the nursing workforce.
WHO has declared 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, for strengthening nursing and midwifery for Universal Health Coverage.
Alani advised the government to look into the ageing workforce and recruit more nurses to boost the workforce.
”Also, there is a need to look into legislation and policies for right placement of nurses to meet the health and developmental goals.
”I plead with the government to understand that primary health care is the way to enter the health care in the country and health workers are trained to work in the Health Care Development Authority.
”So, we want to call for substantive legislation to put an end to systematic, assisted quackery in the nursing profession,’’ he emphasized.
”The association is in the forefront of negotiating with the government on condition of service, interfacing with FMoH on those matters and other issues of importance.
”They should empower nurses to be part of policy formulation; as we are talking, the FMH has almost 60 Directors and it is tilting towards one profession in management level.
”Those that are directors who are nurses and midwives in the ministry are not allowed to participate at the top management level.
”They should correct this, and we are working with the ministry to correct that,’’ he said.