The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has announced that the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, has approved the implementation of a centralised placement system for nurse interns across the country.
An investigative report published by Saturday PUNCH months ago had revealed that several federal and state hospitals were selling internship slots to graduate nurses.
Many nurses recounted how they struggled to secure internship placements in teaching hospitals, often through alleged bribery or connections with individuals in high positions within the facilities.
The sources also expressed frustration over spending months at home after graduation, lamenting that newly qualified nurses applying for internship programmes were being exploited by some staff of public health institutions.
A nurse intern who spoke with Saturday PUNCH had explained that universities produce about 200 graduates per set in nursing and other health-related courses, but hospitals can only accommodate between 20 and 30 interns at a time.
This, she noted, has made it increasingly difficult for graduates to secure internship placements.
However, in a circular signed by the NMCN Registrar, Ndagi Alhassan, the council said the centralised placement process would promote transparency and fairness in the deployment of nurse interns.
The directive, dated October 27 and seen by Saturday PUNCH, was addressed to Commissioners and Secretaries of Health Services in all state Ministries of Health and the Federal Capital Territory; Vice-Chancellors of university teaching hospitals; the President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; Directors of Nursing Services in all Ministries of Health; and management boards of hospitals in all states and the FCT, among others.
It read, “The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria is pleased to inform you that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has approved the implementation of centralised placement of nurse interns across accredited public health facilities in Nigeria.
“This strategy ensures a standardised and transparent process for the deployment of newly qualified nurses for the internship programme. Further details regarding the modalities, timelines, and application procedures will be communicated officially in due course.
“The Council appreciates your cooperation in promoting and maintaining excellence in nursing education and practice in Nigeria.”
Reacting to the development, a nurse who works in a state hospital, Margaret Iduh, commended the NMCN’s decision, saying, “It will solve the problem faced by many nurses seeking internship to a large extent. The article published by Saturday PUNCH yielded a good result.”
