In recent news in Nigeria, a private establishment was shut down by health authorities for operating without accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). The implementation team included officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Health and members of the State Nursing and Midwifery Committee (SNMC).
Permanent Secretary, Ogun Ministry of Health, Dr. Kayode Oladehinde, said the institution had been offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program without accreditation for about six years. He stressed that this unauthorized program contributed to the proliferation of quackery in the nursing field and posed a threat to public health.
He said the nursing department would remain closed until full accreditation was achieved. He also stressed that any nursing degree obtained from Harvard College and similar institutions without NMCN accreditation was worthless. Graduates will not be able to obtain a valid license to practice in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.
Dr. Oladehinde called on parents and applicants interested in pursuing nursing programs to check the NMCN website for a list of accredited institutions, stressing that this list was regularly updated. He warned against institutions making false claims and assured that the Ogun government would continue to combat quackery in nursing education and practice in the state.
This case highlights the importance of transparency and accreditation in nursing education and practice. Students and parents should be vigilant when choosing an institution to avoid unofficial programs and ensure quality education.