By Kemi Olatunde
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Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo Ajaka has called on Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to mitigate the rate at which nurses quit the service for greener pastures.
He spoke while declaring open the retreat for top management of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) in Akure the State Capital.
Ajaka who noted that the state government is in line with the vision of the retreat of the council which is to enable it review the past activities and plan adequately for the years ahead, stated that the uncompromising standard of training nurses has produced quality manpower that has been able to deliver qualitative healthcare in every part of the world.
Highlighting the various achievements of the Governor Akeredolu led administration which according to him have aided the training of nurses in the state , the commissioner explained that the state was the first to implement the conversion of the School of Nursing and Midwifery to University adding that government also constructed 500 bedded hospital at the University of Medical Science Teaching Hospitals to deepen care delivery.
Ajaka hinted that the Health Insurance scheme for civil servants, mothers and under five children have become operational while emphasising that the scheme would provide adequate funding for qualitative healthcare delivery in the state
He further stated that the state government has trained over 400 nurses and midwives on neonatal resuscitation and newborn care purposely to bring to the barest minimum the morbidity and mortality rate of new born in the state.
Director, Nursing Services, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr (Mrs) Alice Ogundele appreciated Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his political will in moving nursing education forward through the provision of financial support for nursing activities.
She appreciated the leadership of the Council for the support for the State as their request concerning any gap in nursing is given approval without delay.
The Chairman of the governing board of the council, Dr Abosede Bola-Ofi while giving her address said the retreat was aimed at reviewing newly developed Five year Strategic Plan for 2023 to 2027, propose 2023 Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and prepare budget among other things
The Secretary General / Registrar of the Council, Dr Faruk Umar Abubakar said the council was not unaware of the exodus of nurses in the country, while emphasising that about 14,000 nurses left the country in 2022 to seek for greener pastures. To mitigate the effect of the exodus in the country, he said the Council has introduced two years community nursing and midwifery programme to provide nursing workforce at the grassroots.
Faruk Umar Abubakar also hinted that part of the strategies to curb the effect of exodus of nurses in the country was to increase admission quota in schools, grant approval for the establishment of more colleges of nursing and accreditation of nursing departments in eligible universities in the country.
