The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria is actively addressing the ongoing issue of nurses emigrating abroad, given that Nigeria is ranked seventh among 57 nations grappling with a severe shortage of healthcare workers.

Dr. Faruk Abubakar, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, revealed these efforts during the 2023 Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives in Abuja.

Under the theme “Our Nurses, Our Future,” Abubakar, as the guest of honor, stressed the necessity of recruiting more nurses to counter the emigration trend.

He emphasized that the government’s provision of essential facilities, improved welfare, comprehensive insurance, and an enhanced work environment would help eradicate brain drain.

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Ayuba Wabba, the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, echoed the call for government attention to workers’ salaries, particularly following the removal of fuel subsidies.

Addressing the conference as the keynote speaker, Mrs. Khadijat-Toyin Musah, the acting Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health Science at the University of Abuja, emphasized the imperative of refining nursing education to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

She emphasized the need to overcome the disparity between classroom learning and real-world practice in the field.