From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Managing Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Prof. Monday Igwe, has dispelled malicious media reports portraying the hospital as being in crisis.
Igwe who addressed journalists in Enugu yesterday revealed that for the past 12 years, a staff of the hospital had tried to place the reputation of the hospital in the negative, adding that the publications were mere imaginations of people who are bent on occupying positions they are not qualified for.
He said that the staff became hostile when “on April 26, 2023 the hospital received a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) dated 26th April, 2023 which suspended regulatory activities in our school on the basis of appointment of new headship of the School of Post Basic Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing without compliance with the council regulations for appointment of Head of Nursing training institutions in Nigeria.
“There was never a time the school was shut down by the Medical Director as portrayed in the publications, hence there could not have arisen the issue of directives from the Federal Ministry of Health to reopen the school.
“The School has full accreditation to train 50 Psychiatric Nurses per session that runs for 18 months. The School cannot admit beyond her quota and one wonders where the said 700 students emanated from.”
He further said that the issue of suspension of regulatory activities by the NMCN is already being addressed quickly by the management of the hospital so that our students who are due to write examinations in November, 2023 can do so.
He said that some resolutions were taken in a meeting between the Federal Ministry of Health officials, Registrar, NMCN and Medical Director FNPH Enugu aimed at addressing issues related to the suspension of activities of NMCN in our school.
Part of the resolutions according him include that, “the 2023 admission of students is declared null and void since due process was not followed. That Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) should reinstate all regulatory activities.
“That ongoing students except 2023 set should be allowed to complete their training. That all students coming for clinical experience should be supervised by the clinical Nursing Staff of the hospital.”
It was also resolved that the Medical Director should be directed to appoint all Principal Officers for the school within six months but in the interim, the most senior Nursing Officer in the school, Afam Ndu should be appointed as the Acting Principal for the school for the next six (6) months.
