Fellow Nurses Africa | Lagos, Nigeria | 13 September 2025
The Ebonyi State Ministry of Health just dropped a bombshell that should have every Nigerian questioning our healthcare priorities. In their latest recruitment drive, they’re openly seeking “auxiliary nurses” alongside qualified professionals. Let that sink in.
We’re talking about a state government actively recruiting healthcare workers with no formal medical training to handle your health, your family’s health, and your community’s wellbeing. This isn’t just administrative negligence—it’s a systematic endorsement of medical quackery at the highest level.
When Did We Normalize Healthcare Russian Roulette?
Picture this: You rush your child to a government health facility in Ebonyi State. The person attending to your precious one might be someone whose only qualification is a weekend crash course, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with trained nurses who spent years studying anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care.
The advertisement treats auxiliary nurses as equals to Community Health Extension Workers (JChew & SChew) and registered nurses. This is like putting a roadside mechanic in the same category as an aerospace engineer because they both work with tools.
The Ripple Effect Nobody’s Talking About
This recruitment strategy sends a chilling message across Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem. When state governments legitimize unqualified practitioners, they’re not just risking immediate patient safety—they’re eroding the entire foundation of professional healthcare standards.
Every misdiagnosis, every medication error, every preventable complication that stems from this decision will have the government’s fingerprints on it. And the victims? Ordinary Nigerians who trusted their government to protect them, not gamble with their lives.
A Call to Action: Where Are Our Guardians?
To the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria: Your silence on this matter is deafening. When will you stand up to protect the integrity of your profession?
To the Minister of Health: Dr. Muhammad Pate, this is happening under your watch. State governments are undermining federal healthcare standards with impunity.
To Medical Professionals in Ebonyi State: Your colleagues-to-be might be people who couldn’t pass basic medical screening. How does that sit with your professional conscience?
To Ebonyi State Citizens: Your tax money is being used to hire unqualified people to manage your health. Is this the healthcare system you’re paying for?
The Hard Truth
Healthcare isn’t a place for “good enough” or “we’ll manage” solutions. One wrong injection, one misread symptom, one incorrectly administered drug can mean the difference between life and death.
Ebonyi State’s leadership needs to understand that cost-cutting in healthcare isn’t smart budgeting—it’s Russian roulette with citizens’ lives. Every kobo saved on “auxiliary” staff could cost lives that no amount of money can restore.
This isn’t just about professional standards. This is about the kind of society we’re building, the value we place on human life, and whether we’re serious about fixing Nigeria’s healthcare system or just playing games with it.
The question every Nigerian should ask: If this is acceptable in Ebonyi State today, which state is next?
What’s your take on this recruitment strategy? Are we witnessing the normalization of medical quackery, or is there a perspective we’re missing? Share your thoughts below.
Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African Nurses. We educate, inform and support the nurse profession.
