More than 1,000 professionally registered Community Nurses and Community Midwives in Zamfara State are reportedly without employment despite concerns over inadequate healthcare personnel in some grassroots health facilities.
According to SaharaReporters, the affected professionals have completed their training and obtained the required professional registration but are yet to secure positions within the state’s healthcare system.
The report also said some of the unemployed graduates are volunteering at Primary Healthcare Centres and other community facilities, assisting with patient care without formal appointments or salaries from the government.
The affected professionals alleged that recent recruitment exercises by the Zamfara State Government did not sufficiently accommodate Community Nurses and Community Midwives. They said they had expected their employment to be addressed through the Primary Health Care system but claimed they were subsequently left out of relevant recruitment arrangements.
They also raised concerns about the impact of the situation on communities, arguing that leaving qualified health workers unemployed could further stretch facilities already operating with limited personnel.
SaharaReporters said the group had written to relevant government offices and held meetings with authorities in an attempt to resolve the matter. The professionals are seeking clarification on the state’s recruitment policy and how those who have completed their training and registration will be absorbed into the healthcare workforce.
The group said it could provide professional certificates, registration documents, correspondence and recruitment records to support its claims. It maintained that its demand is for an opportunity to practise and contribute to healthcare delivery in communities across Zamfara State.
