COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE
20TH NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE AND SCIENTIFIC UPDATE OF THE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATES OF NURSING SCIENCE ASSOCIATION (UGONSA) HELD AT THE CONFERENCE CENTRE
OF ALEX EKWUEME FEDERAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI, EBONYI STATE,
FROM JULY 12TH TO JULY 17TH, 2022.
Tag: Nursing Education Reformation Summit
Theme: Progressive Nursing
& Midwifery Education and Practice Reforms: Who, How, When?
Preamble
UGONSA highly appreciates all our
invited dignitaries that graced the occasion, notably the special guest of
honour – Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (AnyiChuks), PDP flag bearer for the
2023 Ebonyi State gubernatorial election, ably represented by Senator Paulinus
Igwe Nwagu (Enyi waa Uzo); the Guest of Honour, Dr. Emeka Onwe Ogah, AOV, The Chief Medical Director, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital
(AE-FUTHA); The Keynote Speaker,
Dr. Eunice Nwonu, Ex-Senior Lecturer Department
of Nursing Sciences, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus; The Father of the Event, Comrade Mike Nnachi, The National President National Association of Nigerian Nurses and
Midwives (NANNM); Mother of the
Event, Nur. Franca Okafor, GANV, Director Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, the Registrar/Secretary General of the Nursing &
Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Nurse Umar Faruk Abubakar Wurno
(represented by Nurse Alex Ezeh – the South-East zonal Director, NMCN), Mrs. Chukwu
Cecilia, The Director Nursing Services, Ebonyi State; Professor Chika Ugochukwu;
Dr. Georgina Ibeneme; Dr.Peace Iheanacho; Lady Lilian Uhiara; Captain Afam Ndu
and others. The association is also very thankful to the Government and good
people of Ebonyi State for providing a peaceful atmosphere for our 20th
National Professional Conference and Scientific Update and the Ebonyi State
Chapter of UGONSA for a well-organized hosting. Above all the association is
thankful to God Almighty for his abundant grace throughout the conference.
The opening ceremony
The
opening ceremony was held on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. The participants donned
the conference T-shirts for the opening ceremony, and the flag-off of the event
was done by the special guest of honour – Chief Dr.
Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (AnyiChuks), PDP flag bearer for 2023 Ebonyi State
gubernatorial election, ably represented by Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu (Enyi
waa Uzo). The event was chaired by
Chief (Hon). Solomon E.O. Egwuenu, UGONSA National President. There were
goodwill messages from the dignitaries.
Publications
Book
of Abstracts of the 20th UGONSA Conference; Volume 4 & 5 of “The
Nursing Scope Journal” and a press statement on the 2023 general election
vis-Ã -vis advising Nigerians to shun politicians with an odious penchant for
medical tourism and urging for the implementation of proper placement of bachelor
of nursing science degree holders round the country were the key conference
publications.
Awards
GANV (Grand Ambassador of Nightingalic Virtues) was
awarded to two nurses, namely, Nurse Obianuju Francisca Okafor and Lady Lilian
Uhiara. Other categories of awards were also bestowed on other deserving
nurses. GANV is the highest award grantable to Nurses for distinguished services
and outstanding impact in advancing the collective aspiration of the Nursing
Profession. The GANV was awarded to Nurse Obianuju Francisca Okafor, the Director
Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria. Dubbed the
"Dame of Proper Placement," Nurse Obianuju Francisca Okafor, GANV,
was also inducted into the prestigious UGONSA hall of fame. Her critical
intervention when UGONSA confirmed that the Proper Placement Memo was yet to be
transmitted to the National Council on Establishments (NCE) a few days prior to
the 42nd NCE meeting, where the memo was first considered before its approval
in the 43rd meeting, earned her the famous title "Dame of Proper Placement”.
There would have been no proper placement to celebrate today had the 42nd NCE
meeting gone without the proper placement memo. UGONSA and the unborn
generation of nurses owe her eternal gratitude for her critical role in the
journey for the actualization of proper placement. Her induction into the UGONSA
hall of fame has placed her in the league of other “Hall of Famers”, notably Mrs.
Victoria Gowon (wife of former Head of State, Gen.Yakubu Gowon), Arch. Bishop
A.O. Obarisagbon (the Pioneer President and Founder of GNAN, now known as
UGONSA) and Mrs. A.O. Olanipekun (former Registrar, Nursing & Midwifery
Council of Nigeria). The other GANV recipient. Lady Lilian Uloma Uhiara, GANV, was
the 2nd National President of UGONSA, who pioneered the UGONSA international
journal, "The Nursing Scope ". Even in retirement, she has remained
dedicated to courses that improve the fortunes of the profession.
Proceedings
Those whose abstracts
were accepted by the 'Abstract Review Committee'Committee and listed for
presentation and who met the set criteria for presentation were scheduled for
presentation. Congress was on Saturday, July 16, 2022.
Congress
and Resolutions
During the
congress, an election was held, and new national executives were elected. The
portfolios of the new executives are as follows:
National
UGONSA Executive Members
1. Ojo,
Idowu Opeyemi, National President Ekiti State
2. Eteng,
Philip Okori, National Secretary CrossRiver
State
3. Afoi,
B. Barry, Deputy National President North Kaduna State
4. Nwodo,
Chijioke, Deputy National President East Enugu State
5. Ojone,
Matthew, Deputy National President West Ondo State
6. Adewale,
Kola, Assistant National Secretary West Oyo State
7. Ndu,
Afam, Assistant National Secretary East
Anambra
State
8. Averson
Pius, Assistant National Secretary North Nasarawa State
9. Edeh,
Cecilia Ofoke, National Treasurer Ebonyi State
10. Charles
A. Oloriegbe, National PRO
Delta
State
11. Musa,
Bulus, National Provost Bauchi State
12. Edeh,
Perpetual Ngozi, National Financial Secretary Ebonyi State
13. Egwuenu,
E.O. Solomon, Ex-Officio Member Delta State
14. Nshi,
I. Goodluck, Ex-Officio Member Ebonyi
State
15. Onwusonye,
Chioma Ume, Ex-Officio Member Abia State
16. Ade,
Osasuyi, Ex-officio Member Edo State
The
congress also discussed a number of issues affecting the health and well-being
of Nigerians, growth, development, and advancement of the nursing profession,
and university graduates of nursing sciences. After exhaustive deliberations, the
following positions were taken:
1. The
congress-in-session deplored the deteriorating security situation, unemployment,
and increasing level of poverty in the country and urged President Muhammadu
Buhari and State Governors to live up to the expectation for which they were
elected by doing more in securing the lives and properties of the populace,
creating employment & empowerment opportunities, and alleviating the
scorching poverty in the land.
2. Congress
strongly frowned at medical tourism and emphasized that the $2 billion (1.1 trillion
naira) wasted on medical tourism annually is enough to rejig our health system
and make a competing payment to the healthcare professionals that will dissuade
those currently practicing in the country from contemplating going abroad and
compel those that have left for greener pasture to return home. On the upcoming
2023 election, congress charged Nigerians to get their permanent voter’s cards
(PVC), prepare to vote out, and never vote for any politician who has a
penchant for embarking on medical tourism abroad, noting that Politicians whose
pastime is medical tourism have testified that they do not believe in the
Nigerian system. As such, if our health system is not good for them, our
political system should also not be good for them.
3. The
congress-in-session applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for
being nursing friendly and very considerate to issues affecting the nursing
profession, notably, the approval of nursing internship in his first tenure and
now proper placement in his second tenure. Congress also thanked the Head of
Civil Service of the Federation for releasing the circular for the proper
placement of graduate nurses that was approved by the National Council on
Establishment (NCE) at its 43rd meeting held in Abuja in January 2022 and strongly
called for its speedy implementation in all health institutions where nurses
work. Congress mandated the newly elected UGONSA National executives to see
that the proper placement circular is implemented in the favour of all University
Graduates of Nursing irrespective of the mode of study (whether direct entry,
part-time, open university, or distance learning, etc.) across the country.
4. The
Congress-in-Session frowned at the non-recognition of higher qualifications in
nursing, such as M.Sc and Ph.D. Nursing in the schemes of service for the
nursing officer and called on the government, the National Council on
Establishments and appropriate authorities to recognize the importance of
advanced education in nursing practice and thus commence remuneration of nurses
that acquired additional higher qualifications in nursing accordingly by
availing a befitting place for M.Sc and Ph.D. in Nursing in the schemes of
service for nursing officers.
5. Congress
recalled that the current board of Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN),
through the Registrar Nurse Farouk Umar, issued a circular Ref No.
N&MCN/EDU/CIR/44/VOL.1/62 dated February 15, 2019, wherein it declared that
by 2023 all schools of nursing shall be upgraded to award Bachelor of Nursing
Science (B.N.Sc) degrees and that all post-basic schools shall be upgraded to
award master’s degrees in their respective nursing specialties. Congress noted
that we are now in 2022, just one year away from 2023 set by the NMCN as when both
basic and post-basic courses shall become respectively licensable and
registrable only at the baccalaureate and post-graduate levels and called on
the NMCN to live by its words and ensure that this laudable promise does not
elude the profession come 2023.
6. Congress
observed a minute silence for Late Nurse Justina Obioma Ejelonu, GANV (the
nurse that saved Nigeria from Ebola), and all nurses that died in active
service and urged members of the nursing community not to rest on the oars until
a befitting national posthumous honour is bestowed on her as she represents the
face of the unrecognized daily sacrifices nurses make for this country.
7. Congress-in-Session
strongly frowned at the politicization of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by
the NMCN and queried why UGONSA National Professional Conference and Scientific
Updates “where the best of scholars (including Professors, Ph.D. holders, Master’s
degree holders), researchers and administrators in the nursing profession
gather to exhibit and review scientific works and underlying theories of
nursing practice to improve nursing knowledge and skills, for enhanced
qualitative evidence-based care” will not be granted 3 CEUs whereas religious
organizations are granted same for their prayer summits. Congress noted that UGONSA
Professional Conferences and Scientific Updates attract both national and
international abstracts and strongly called on the NMCN to purge itself of CEU
politicization and base the granting of CEUs purely on the academic and
professional merit of events rather than on connections of the event organizers
or their closeness to those in the helms of affairs in the council.
8. Congress
reiterated the age-long commitment of UGONSA to unity in the profession and
willingness to work with any group on issues that will bring progress to the
profession. Congress equally urged UGONSA to remain upright and stand up to any
policy detrimental to the growth and development of the profession irrespective
of the group or individuals championing such or the quarters where such emanate.
9. Congress
emphasized that UGONSA has no bearing with aggrieved “NANNM members” who opted
out of NANNM sequel to their grievances that were not properly handled and frowned
strongly at the insinuations that they were all UGONSA members. Congress noted
that while a few fractions of them may be UGONSA members, none of them held any elective
or appointive position in UGONSA, and their genuine grievances bordering on the
choking and inhumane 3% checkoff dues have no bearing whatsoever with UGONSA.
Congress reiterated UGONSA's admonition to NANNM to always have a genuine,
open, and honest dialogue anchored on respect and love with its aggrieved
members rather than resorting to intimidation tactics and thereafter starts throwing
tantrums and blames at UGONSA for a situation it wittingly mismanaged which
UGONSA knows nothing about.
10. Congress
mandated the zonal leadership of UGONSA to form their cabinets within six months of their
election and ensure that states and units within their zones are active and
functional. Congress also barred
UGONSA executives at all levels from handling the issues of or responding to any graduate nurse
who is not a registered and financial member of the association. Congress strongly admonished graduate nurses that are not registered and financial members of UGONSA to desist from commenting on UGONSA issues or asking help from the association.
11. Congress
strongly frowned at the continued subjugation of Nursing Services as a division
in the department of Hospital Services under the headship of a Physician and called
on the Federal government to implement, without further delay, the Yayale Ahmed
presidential committee report on harmony in the health sector, which inter alia recommended a fully-fledged
autonomous Department of Nursing Services in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Congress equally called on the Federal Government to upgrade the Nursing and
Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to a “grade A” regulatory agency.
12. Congress
advised nurses to key into the spirit and letters of “Progressive Nursing &
Midwifery Education and Practice Reforms” by pursuing higher education in
nursing to enable the profession to be sufficient in manpower that can add significant
value to all facets of nursing services, be it clinical patient care, public
health promotion, nursing education or nursing administration.
13. Congress
re-emphasized its earlier call on all stakeholders in the nursing profession to
recognize the non-negotiable need for unity and come together to pursue a
common goal to promote the professional growth, advancement, and development of
nurses and the nursing profession.
14. Congress-in-Session
called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendment of the
Establishment Act of the Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria and
commended the seven-man committee of reliable think tanks set up by UGONSA at
its 19th Conference in Kaduna for a good job in reviewing the Act
and creating a document that was forwarded to the NMCN, the national leadership
of NANNM, and Senator Hassan Gusau which greatly helped the profession to effectively
make its case before the National Assembly.
15. Congress
commended the fight against quackery by both the establishments and individuals
in the profession and called for sustained action in this regard. Congress reiterated
that individuals and hospitals that were discovered to be promoting and
engaging in quackery be named, publicized, and shamed in both social and
conventional media to continue to acquaint the public with the dangers of their
malpractices and nefarious activities. NMCN was equally urged to produce
professional seals for every nurse and collaborate with GSM providers to create
an SMS code for on-the-spot identification of all the nurses in any setting in
Nigeria.
16. Finally,
the congress agreed and approved that the next (.i.e., 21st) UGONSA
National Professional Conference and Scientific Update will hold at Ondo State,
Nigeria.
Communique Drafting
Committee Members
Nur. Afoi, Barry B. Kaduna State Chapter -Chairman
Nur. Ogwu, Chukwuma Ali Akwa Ibom State Chapter -Secretary
Nur.
Amachu-Ayeni Titilayo Ondo State Chapter -Member
Nur.
Bulus Inusa Nasarawa State Chapter -Member
Nur.
Adewale Adekola Oyo State Chapte -Member
Signed:
CHIEF (HON.) S.E.O. EGWUENU NURSE G.I.
NSHI
National President
National Secretary
