Nurses Sue Health Minister Over New Certificate Verification Rules

Some nurses in the country have taken legal action against the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and the Minister of Health over new certificate verification guidelines. The NMCN issued a circular on February 7, 2024, revising the guidelines for verifying certificates for nurses and midwives. The new rules stipulate that applicants seeking verification of certificates from foreign nursing boards must have two years of post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of their permanent practicing license. These guidelines came into effect on March 1, 2024.

Following protests in Abuja and Lagos against the new guidelines, dissatisfied nurses filed a lawsuit against the NMCN, the Minister of Health, and others before the National Industrial Court in Abuja. The plaintiffs, including Desmond Aigbe, Kelvin Ossai, and Catherine Olatunji-Kuyoro, among others, are seeking to halt the implementation of the circular pending the court’s determination of the suit.

The nurses are urging the court to suspend the commencement of the new guidelines and restrain the defendants from implementing them. They argue that these guidelines may infringe on the constitutional rights and freedoms of nurses and midwives in Nigeria, hindering their ability to seek career opportunities abroad. The court proceedings on Wednesday saw the counsel for the complainants, Ode Evans, requesting an adjournment to file responses to preliminary objections raised by the defendants.

Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae granted the adjournment and scheduled the hearing for May 20. She also ordered that the Federal Ministry of Health and the Attorney General of the Federation, who were not represented in court, be served with the hearing notice.