The council, it noted, had long directed that such programmes must only be run by accredited Colleges of Nursing and universities.
The Elegant Nurses Forum has condemned the growing activities of illegal and unapproved institutions in Kwara State that claim to offer Community Health Nursing and Public Health Nursing programmes, warning that the practice endangers lives and undermines the integrity of the profession.
In a press statement issued on Friday, and signed by Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the group said several Colleges of Health Technology in the state were falsely advertising and running nursing-related courses in clear violation of directives by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).
The council, it noted, had long directed that such programmes must only be run by accredited Colleges of Nursing and universities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any institution outside this approval offering such programmes is acting illegally,” the forum declared, accusing the affected schools of extorting parents, deceiving students and misleading the public.
It described the development as “nothing short of the promotion of quackery carried out in full public view.”
The forum warned that graduates of the illegal programmes risk having their certificates rejected while patients could be exposed to poorly trained personnel, a situation it said could create future disasters in the healthcare system.
One of such institutions is Florence Adepate Love Foundation, which advertised 50% scholarship on Community Health Nursing and Public Health Nursing.
The nurses called on the Kwara State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Sa’adatu Modibo K., to intervene urgently to halt the trend and protect citizens from further deception.
They also demanded a probe into how some health technology institutions allegedly secured approval from the state Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology despite violating NMCN regulations.
“This development is a slap on the face of the Kwara State Government, which by inaction appears to be encouraging practices that put the lives of its citizens at risk,” the statement added, alleging recklessness and weak oversight in the regulation of health training institutions.
Among its demands, the forum sought the immediate closure of all institutions illegally offering nursing programmes in the state, public clarification on approved training centres, sanctions against officials involved in the approvals, and refunds for affected students and parents.
It further urged strict enforcement of NMCN guidelines to prevent a recurrence.
“The Nursing profession must not be polluted by illegal training centres driven by profit and deception. The lives of the people of Kwara State must come first. Enough is enough,” the group noted.