By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the world needs nothing less than 4.5 million additional nurses by 2030 to keep up.
WHO disclosed this in their message commemorating this year’s International Nurses Day.
According to the global health body, there are 29 million nurses worldwide, nonetheless, “WHO estimates that the world needs 4.5 million more nurses by 2030 to keep up!”.
Similarly, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi averred that, “the shortage of nurses, even in global circles, has remained a burning issue that needs urgent attention. While the global community would need at least 13 million nurses to bridge the gap of nursing shortage by 2030, Nigeria would need at least 150,000 nurses for nurses to make up for such shortage”.
Obi added that, investing in the training of more nursing professionals remained a very viable option that would help not only to produce enough nurses for the nation’s domestic health sector but have enough for export to the world.
This, he said informed his position against the decision of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to close down the verification of Nigerian nurses, thereby hindering them from accessing global opportunities.
He further said, “we are not unaware of your sacrifices. The nation appreciates your efforts, and we celebrate you today. Together with you all, we will build the New Nigeria we desire because we believe it is land of limitless possibilities and it is within reach”.
