By FELIX IGBEKOYI, Asaba

Concerned Nurses in Delta State have drawn a battle line with the State Commis­sioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, over his insistence to go ahead with the Commu­nity Nursing and Midwifery programme in the state

As Ononye insisted there was no going on the pro­gramme, especially as an initiative of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the nurs­es, on the other hand said the public and professional call to halt same subsists.

Comrades Nurse Awele Mordi (Coordinator) and Ogbanako Mercy (Secre­tary) spokespersons for the group called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to call the Commissioner to order.

The nurses and midwives also called on the Delta State House of Assembly to inves­tigate the motives behind the commissioner’s insistence on quackery programme when the State has eight health-related medical in­stitutions that produce more than 800 professional health­care workers annually from the aforementioned schools.

“Nurses in Delta state are opposed to the move, citing the over 2,000 nurses and midwives already trained but have not been employed, the government’s claim of no Ru­ral areas in the State and the fact that the graduates from the lower cadre programme will be quacks and will pose health risks to the communi­ties they will be exposed to”

Corroborating in a protest statement signed by Com­rades David Ezugwu, State NANNM Secretary said mem­bers of NANNM are commit­ted to the wellbeing of Delta people; hence the Governor should call the commission­er not to blackmail the Union that is protecting the health and safety of the people they pledge to protect. (Daily Independent)