EXCLUSION OF NURSE INTERNS FROM INTERNSHIP ADVERTS: UGONSA REPORTS UNTH AND FMC OWERRI TO MINISTER OF HEALTH

The Honourable Minister of Health,

Federal Ministry of Health,

New Federal Secretariat Complex,

Phase III, Ahmadu Bello Way,

Central Business District,

P.M.B 083,

Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.

Attention:    Director, Human Resources,

                      & Director, Hospital Services,

Federal Ministry of Health,

New Federal Secretariat Complex,

Phase III, Ahmadu Bello Way,

Central Business District,

P.M.B 083,

Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.

Sir,

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NURSES BY THE MANAGEMENT OF UNTH AND FMC OWERRI: AN URGENT APPEAL FOR YOUR KIND INTERVENTION

The University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA), the professional association of nurses with a minimum qualification of first degree in Nursing Science, wishes you a happy New Year.

1.  We write to draw your kind attention to the gross injustice, discrimination and wanton marginalization of nurses by the management of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu and that of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri.
2.  The two hospitals had on 25^th October and 24^th November, 2017 respectively, made adverts for placement of interns. These adverts however, selectively excluded nurse interns from the categories of internship positions advertised which listed interns of all other core healthcare professions for whom a one year internship training, like in nursing, forms a compulsory and integral part of their training.
3.  We were appalled by the selective discrimination so we wrote them on 6^th December, 2017 vide our letter Ref No. UGONSA/017/CMD/UNTH/01 and UGONSA/017/CMD/FMCO/01, calling for rectification of the anomaly in case it had been an unfortunate error. We wonder what nurses have done wrong that would warrant the selective exclusion of their intending interns from running internship training which, like that of the other healthcare professions that were advertised, was also approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Council on Establishment (NCE) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) as well as the statutory regulatory body (for nursing in Nigeria .i.e. the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria).
4.   Since we wrote them over the ugly development, the managements of these two hospitals have surprisingly maintained a loud silence on the issue. This deafening silence has eroded all our benefits of doubt and rather reinforced our speculation that it may be a continuation of the oppressive sentiments against nurses that have become the characteristic stock-in-trade of the chief executive officers of some government owned hospitals.
5.    By denying nursing the opportunity to run internship programme for its fresh graduates in their facilities, the management of UNTH and FMC Owerri are toying with and jeopardizing the future of hundreds of fresh graduate nurses whose full registration and licensure by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria are tied to internship training. They are also robbing the country of the opportunity of producing qualified manpower needed to drive effective care delivery in our health system especially as nurses are the first and the last line of defence for patients in any healthcare delivery system in the world.
6.  Most especially, they are breaching the constitution of the land by discriminating against their fellow Nigerians on the basis of their chosen professional career, which is recognized as a noble career by the law of the land.
7.  It is instructive to point out that these hospitals have also refused to effect the proper placement of graduate nurses under their employ despite calling their attention to the Federal Ministry of Health’s circular, Ref No. C.6093/T/13 dated 19^th June, 2017, which recommended such (refers) following the circular from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Ref No. HSCF/EPO/EIR/CND/S.100/ST/97dated 8^th September, 2016 that granted internship training for fresh graduate nurses.
8.   The above mentioned act, coupled with the latest issue of exclusion of nursing from their internship adverts, portends that progressive and developmental efforts pertaining to nursing are in trouble in UNTH and FMC Owerri. Hence our outcry for your kind intervention!

PRAYER

In the light of the foregoing we passionately appeal for your urgent intervention in mandating the managements of UNTH, Ituku-Ozalla and FMC Owerri to

1.   make a supplementary advert placement for the post of nurse interns to give nurses a sense of belonging, give fresh graduate nurses opportunity to get internship training for full registration and licensure as was done for their counterparts in other core healthcare disciplines, and foster equity and fairness.
2.    upgrade any nurse with a minimum of first degree in nursing, serving under their  institutions, who is still on CONHESS 07 (GL 08), expressly to CONHESS 08 (GL09) with effective date of 8^th September, 2016 (being the date of release of the circular Ref No.Ref No. HSCF/EPO/EIR/CND/S.100/ST/97 by the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation), with due arrears paid in full to all the affected nursing officers.
3. consider the nascence of internship training for the graduates of B.N.Sc degree as a ground for recruiting nurse interns in large and considerable numbers. 
4.   respect the extant laws, rules and regulations by giving the fresh graduate nurses similar internship opportunity that was given to their counterparts in other core healthcare disciplines to foster their full registration and licensure by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and help the country with qualified manpower needed to drive effective care delivery in our health system.

We also request that you kindly make a memo directing all CMDs/MDs to implement in their respective facilities the nurse’s internship and proper placement of already employed graduate nurses who are still below the new base for entry of graduate nurses [i.e. Grade Level 09 (CONHESS 08)] into the civil service. This is to forestall a repeat of this ugly incidence that happened in UNTH and FMC Owerri from repeating in other healthcare centres.

    

Please kindly accept the assurances of our esteemed regards!

                                                           Signed

Chief (Hon) S.E.O. EGWUENU                                                  Nurse G.I. Nshi

     National President                                                                     National Secretary