All health training institutions in Jigawa State will receive approval for a new community nursing program from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
Dr. Faruk Abdullahi, Registrar and CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, made this announcement during a courtesy visit to the Jigawa State Government House with key members of the Council’s executive team.
In making his remarks, Dr. Abdullahi highlighted the Council’s role as a regulatory body established by Law No. 43 of the Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, responsible for overseeing nursing education and practice nationwide. He commended Jigawa State’s government for its outstanding commitment to advancing healthcare by training highly qualified nurses and midwives.
“Jigawa State is one of the few states with a well-articulated collegiate system, comprising three independent campuses. Each of these campuses plays a pivotal role in producing competent nurses and midwives, contributing significantly to the healthcare workforce in the state,” Dr. Abdullahi said.
He further acknowledged the state’s substantial investments in the health sector, including infrastructure developments in general hospitals and educational institutions, as well as the recent recruitment of over 1,000 healthcare professionals, including more than 200 nurses and midwives. The Council also expressed its intention to support the state’s efforts by approving a community nursing program in all three of Jigawa’s health training institutions.
The Community Nursing Program aims to train and recruit local indigenes from each local government area to serve as community nurses and midwives for a minimum of two years. This strategy aims to tackle the scarcity of healthcare professionals in remote areas and guarantee the availability of sufficient nursing and midwifery personnel at the primary care level.
Governor Mallam Umar Namadi, in his remarks, welcomed the Council’s initiative and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to maintaining and surpassing the required standards to produce high-caliber healthcare professionals. He underlined the state’s ongoing efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and manpower, including the establishment of one primary healthcare center per ward and the development of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities across the state.
The Governor expressed his gratitude to the Council for their continuous support and the recent increase in the state’s quota for nursing education. He emphasized that the nursing profession is a priority for his administration, as it is fundamental to the healthcare system.
Governor Namadi also spoke about the state’s Danmodi Student Care initiative, which mentors and supports promising students from primary school through university, particularly in healthcare fields, stressing the importance of such an initiative in ensuring a steady supply of qualified healthcare professionals for the state.
Hamisu Mohammed Gumel
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Jigawa State
August 30, 2024
