The stringent regulatory systems of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana have earned it international appeal as many countries continue to send delegates to understudy the operations of the Council.
Already, Nursing and Midwifery Councils from Malawi, Uganda, Liberia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia have visited the Council in Ghana.
Countries such as Barbados, Germany and the United Kingdom have expressed interest in engaging nurses and midwives from Ghana to support their healthcare systems.
The Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Mr. Felix Nyante, disclosed this at the opening of the two-day Pre-Anniversary Launch Webinars on June 23, 2020, for over 300 participants worldwide.
The N&MC is celebrating its 50th-anniversary commencing June 2020 and climaxing it with a thanksgiving service in March 2021.
The Council was established in the year 1971 after the passing of the legislative instrument, LI 683 in 1971 and NRCD 117 in 1972. The then Council was operating under the name, Nurses and Midwives Council for Ghana until the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857) enacted and the name was changed to Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Enumerating some achievements the Council has chalked, Mr Nyante said: “with the support of the Netherlands Embassy through its Capacity Development in Higher Education Programme Initiative (NICHE) and the Netherlands Universities Foundation for International Cooperation (NUFFIC), Ghana stands as the first in Africa to have developed and implemented online licensing examination for nursing and midwifery trainees. The Council is implementing the NICHE project in partnership with a consortium comprising of CINOP Global & Advisory Services and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.”
The N&MC has also digitized its services such as PIN/AIN printing, Results checking, Indexing, Registration, Online CPD and Records for Nurses and Midwives.
Mr Nyante said the Council is well recognized on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, Skype, Zoom, NMC Mobile App and website, adding that it has over 140,000 followers on social media.
“The Council has 12 decentralized offices across Ghana. Preparations are far advanced to have decentralized offices in the six newly created regions in Ghana.
First peer-reviewed journal for Nurses and Midwives known as ‘Numid Horizon: An international Journal of Nurses and Midwives’,” he disclosed.
For her part, the Chairperson of the 14th Governing Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Rev. Veronica Darko, said the celebration is to reflect on all that has been achieved since 1971 and how nurses and midwives have made and continue to make a difference in people’s lives using standards, protection and service.
“If we are to play our part in making sure safe, high quality and consistent standards of care are being delivered, we need to continue to improve,” she said.
“Our anniversary celebrations are the perfect springboard for the WHO Year of the Nurse and Midwife in 2020 and our development as we gear up to introduce more transformation programmes to address the growing trends in the nursing and midwifery profession. I want nurses and midwives to make 2020 a fantastic year of celebration for our profession and create a change in the way Clients, the public and policymakers think of and see our profession,” she added.
ISD
