EMPOWERING FUTURE HEALTHCARE LEADERS:

THE NANNNA-NMCN-HEALTH CAROUSEL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NURSE-EDUCATOR PROGRAM IN NIGERIA

By Rural Nigeria News On Oct 19, 2024

– BY OJIAKU KALU

THE LEAD:

When the Africa Diseases Prevention & Research Development Initiative [ADRAP] – a formidable public-health advocacy group, in conjunction with Africa Disease Reporting Fellowship [ADREF], held a summit to institute an annual fellowship for health journalists in the continent at the Q1 of 2024, it was a brainstorm session as happens at gatherings of professional public affair analysts. The summit was to address emerging concerns on the continent’s health issues – plus strategizing for ways and means of communicating them to the public. Not one of the select media men could tell how far reaching the deliberation would be and indeed, what learning outcomes would emanate from the exercise.

The 6-week inaugural fellowship billed to bridge the knowledge gap through capacity building of the press to report on diseases and health issues on the continent from well-informed perspectives held on March 21 – April 27, 2024. While the first five weeks of the summit was conducted online, the last week was in-person at the Sandralia Hotel, Abuja.

Declaring the fellowship open, Mr. Onche Odeh, ADRAP’s Fellowship Coordinator for Africa, informed attendees of the manifold challenges confronting Africa’s public health sector. These challenges according to him range from outright ignorance of the existence of some diseases to lack of adequate capacity to report them accurately by health journalists. The fellowship, according to him, would select 10 early and mid-career journalists annually – particularly those reporting on the health beats, for a 6-week fellowship to hone their skills in health reportage.

Of particular concern to the organizers was the growing dearth of frontline manpower – especially nurses in public health facilities, to deepen patient-centered care whenever there’s an epidemic, due to their yearly exodus to other climes for more promising career rewards.

This and several other issues raised by the fellowship’s faculty and participants generated unending debates. While some blamed the development on what they termed the mindless poaching of healthcare experts – especially nurses and doctors by foreign agencies – thereby rendering African countries bereft of healthcare providers. Some however rose in defense of some foreign health agencies with revelations on their commendable corporate social responsibilities on the continent.

A particular mention was made at that point of some collaboration between a body of Nigerian Diaspora nurses, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and one Health Foundation in the United States of America on a postgraduate scholarship program toward producing nurse educators in some African countries. Expectedly, not a few of the attendees were intrigued with this material information – given the vagueness of the claim at that time.

So, when at the fall of June 2024 Mr. Onche Odeh, again, reached out to some media owners and editors that had sent participants to the ADRAP/AFREF summit to review the impact of the inaugural meeting, it was again, an admixture of praise and criticism – albeit mainly constructive this time. Amidst the banters of the eggheads, there was a repeat hint of the collaboration – which one of the commentators clearly viewed as a watershed in Nigeria’s healthcare regime. It was hereupon that this writer set off to investigate the veracity and scope of the said scholarship program – reaching out to relevant stakeholders by calls, physical contacts, and internet surfing.

Following therefore, is the ultimate outcome of the probe into the said collaboration among the now known organizations: the Health Carousel Foundation, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria – meant to grow the nurse-educator workforce, and improved patient-centered actions in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

It is the earnest hope that this report would not only validate the existence of the scholarship program in Nigeria, but also jolt other multinationals in the health ecosystem into emulating the Health Carousel Foundation on such crucial interventions in Africa – a destination said to be the feeder pool for the first world’s health manpower needs.

Furthermore, it is hoped that this report would particularly spur other Diaspora professional organizations of Nigerian descent into emulating NANNNA in being home conscious enough to attract similar goodwill from their countries of domicile into Nigeria. For in the course of this investigation, the inquirer came upon evidences of NANNNA’s think-home activities [of several years running] that have significantly impacted Nigeria’s healthcare sector positively – from annual medical missions, to pragmatic influences on the country’s health policy thrusts.

FOREWORD:

Nurse education is the backbone of quality patient care, and strengthening it strengthens the entire healthcare system of any environment. It is pertinent to remind any donor to nurse-education program that investing in it is investing in a healthier future – for individuals, communities, and nations of the world. This is because nurses are the foundation of healthcare: upholding its highest standards and embodying the grand norm of compassionate care. Education – especially when sustainable, arms them with the knowledge, skills, and wisdom to serve and preserve these charges.

Nurse-education is the foundation upon which healthcare innovation is built. This is why the triad program of stemming the decline of nurse educators in Nigeria between the Health Carousel Foundation, National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America [NANNNA], and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria [NMCN] is being commended and celebrated by a cross section of the nation’s health academics as well as correspondents in the media space. For everyone agrees [that] the decline in population of nurses and nurse educators in Nigeria is now acute!

SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM:

The noble profession of nursing has had its undeniable presence in Nigeria since 1893 – when the first group of indigenous nurses trained at the Church Missionary Society [CMS] Hospital in Lagos by the British colonial authorities, were deployed to every region of the then colony. From thence, this critical component of healthcare providers continuously made its significant contribution to the Nigerian state until the end of 1999. However, the emigration of the army of nursing practitioners from the country began to be noticed at the turn of the 21stcentury. The exodus eventually escalated from 2010s due to factors ranging from economic instability to brain-drain incentives.

With Nigeria’s successive administrations overwhelmed with [global] economic meltdown and its negative effects on individual livelihoods, even professionals in indispensable sectors of the country began to prefer existentialism to patriotism. Since the exodus to more friendly climes began, high-value baseline professionals – especially nurses, have been on the shortfall.

The decline in Nigeria’s nurse population is curiously, attributable to the inadequacy of number of nurse educators therein. For in the words of Aisha Onyemaobi, Deputy Director and Head of Nursing Audit, Federal Medical Centre [FMC] Umuahia, ‘’There is an inseparable link between the population of nurses and nurse educators in any given location. Nurse educators, figuratively, are the fabricators of nurses in the healthcare foundry; as they fan the aspirations of individual prospects into the profession.’’ And nurse educators have been in steady shortfall in Nigeria to the point it’s safe to conclude there is a national emergency on nurse educators in the country.

For instance, a 2020 report by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria [NMCN] estimated that the country had a shortage of well over 50% of nurse educators needed to meet the demands of nursing education in the country.

And just one year before that frightening assertion, a report by the World Health Organization [WHO] in 2019 had stated inter alia: ‘’…Nigeria has a ratio of 1 nurse educator to 100 student-nurses – which is significantly higher than the recommended ratio of 1:10.’’ This statistics may even be more, given that as at October 2023, Nigeria had achieved a total of 400 accredited nursing institutions by the NMCN. If the intervening months of 2024 are factored, the number becomes higher. From the foregoing therefore, it would appear that while policymakers strove to stem the erosion of the nurse population across the federation – by floating training institutions for them, contingent plan for nurse educators was left out – hence, the present shortfall!

So, much more than ever, the need for that declaration of emergency on nurses and nurse educators is now imperative. The reality is that Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and arguably the world largest exporter of skilled health manpower, is in dire need of requisite professionals to cater for its own citizens’ health need!

THE TRIUMVIRATE SOLUTION:

Now, in a groundbreaking collaboration to stem the steady dwindle of Nigeria’s nurse-trainer workforce, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America [NANNNA], the Health Carousel Foundation, USA, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria [NMCN] have since 2022 floated an annual postgraduate scholarship to revolutionize nurse-education in the country. The system-transformation program aims to recruit individuals with the B.Sc. degree in the field of nursing and empower them under a scholarship scheme to study for either the postgraduate diploma in education [PGDE], professional diploma in education [PDE] or postgraduate diploma in nursing education [PDNE] in any select institution in Nigeria – toward enhancing healthcare delivery, and transforming lives in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION PROCESS

Among the listed criteria to qualify for the scholarship, a candidate must be a trained nurse to the point of B.Sc. degree in nursing science, be an employee in a nurse-training institution – as a preceptor or clinical instructor; and be willing to pursue a lifetime career in nursing education. Of the 19 beneficiaries that made up the 2023 Cohort, several more are waiting in the wings with the hope of making the list in the coming years – which goes to attest for the number of qualified nurses in Nigeria – in academics and cognate clinical experience.

beneficiaries interviewed in the course of this inquiry all spoke of having no prior knowledge of the program and its administrators. According to them, they either happened into it by referrals, through some nursing journal, or while simply surfing through on the internet, where the publications asked any interested candidate to fill the scholarship form with their personal information and submit same for processing. Therefore, every of the beneficiaries that made the final list was entirely on merit.

THE COLLABORATING AGENCIES:

HEALTH CAROUSEL:

The Health Carousel Foundation, with its headquarters in the state of Ohio [USA] is the world highest recruiter of labor in the healthcare ecosystem. The Foundation, of recent, added to its corporate mission the empowerment of graduate-nurses presently engaged in nurse-training institutions, either as preceptors or clinic instructors toward upgrading to nurse educators – upon earning the requisite certification from a select university through its turnkey scholarship funding for individuals resident in Nigeria.

An official statement by Health Carousel on the scholarship program says in part: ‘’In Nigeria, unlike most of the world, a chronic shortage of nurse educators exacerbates the global nursing shortage that amounts to more than 10 million headcount shortfall, even by modest estimate. The World Health Organization estimates as many as 13 million more nurses are needed. Program like this, supported by Health Carousel Foundation, aims to address the global nursing crisis.’’ – www.healthcarousel.com

NANNNA:

On its part, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America [NANNNA] is a dynamic forum of Nigerian nursing associations and nursing school alums across the continent of North America. Founded in 2008 with an estimated 6,000 members and counting – all of whom are of Nigerian origin practicing in the Americas. The Association fosters a common front toward improving the nursing profession and patient care for the American as well as Nigerian citizens.

Besides maintaining its global relevance, NANNNA, through its sustainable health advocacy at the local scene [under its annual Medical Missions], is the foremost nongovernmental promoter of the nursing profession in Nigeria. It is upon this premise the Association was able to identify the growing need for nurse educators in the country; and has been driving the efforts to close the perennial gap. Indeed, kudos must go to NANNNA for securing the financial support of Health Carousel in this regard.

Of the three collaborating organizations, NANNNA is the coordinating agency of the scholarship program – acting as the clearinghouse between Health Carousel [the donor agency], the individual beneficiary and their respective academic institutions. Every year, some academic institutions are chosen from each of the country’s geopolitical regions to train the cohorts of the year. The 2023 Partner Institutions are: [1] University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State [2] National Open University of Nigeria [Abuja, Edo, and Ondo Study Centers [3] Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, Anambra State. [4] University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; and [5] Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife.

NMCN:

Coming in the rear of the synergistic trio is the Nursing and midwifery Council of Nigeria [NMCN] – the country’s sole regulating agency charged with regulating, promoting and maintaining excellence in nursing education and practice in Nigeria. In the ongoing collaboration, it is the duty of the NMCN to document and license the beneficiaries upon completing their coursework – thus becoming bona fide nurse educators.

Some zonal managers of NMCN contacted in the course of this investigation confirmed this much:

Olowofila Joshua, head of the Akure Zonal Office of the Council, in a telephone exchange with this inquirer, expressed profound appreciation to Health Carousel and NANNNA for the scholarship program. ‘’Actually, our duty at the NMCN is to admit the beneficiaries into our system – upon completing their studies and presenting certificates earned from their respective academic institutions. Here in the Akure Zone of the Council, we have the NANNNA-Health Carousel-NMCN scholars at the University of Medical Sciences Ondo, and the National Open University of Nigeria [NOUN] Akure Study Centre. The authorities of both institutions are in touch with us concerning their studentship status and progress.’’

His colleague, Ghazali Haruna – in charge of the Abuja Zone of the NMCN, gave a terse but validating response to the investigation: ‘’Yes, I am aware of the nurse-educator scholarship program by NANNA, health Carousel, and our Council. It is ongoing; but you may have to reach the Registrar by call or SMS for any detail you may wish to know about it.’’

With that, the inquirer broached a chance with the Enugu Zonal Officer of the NMCN – Eze Alexander, who said he was aware of the program but was not in the office as at the time of the call to him. ‘’May I speak with you afterwards; or you contact the Registrar directly instead?’’, he queried.

This laudable program aimed at growing the population and capacity of nurse educators and by extension generic nurses in Nigeria has the role of each of the three collaborating organizations cut out for it. The Health Carousel Foundation donates the yearly funds for each cohort, NANNNA supervises the intervening process – from registration to graduation of each year’s beneficiaries; and the NMCN licenses the certified scholars of each year. Like in a relay race, NANNNA and Health Carousel have delivered on the 2023 cohort with palpable dedication – while waiting for the NMCN to take the assignment to the finishing line – as each participating institution graduates their scholar[s].

UNIQUENESS OF THE COLLABORATION

Findings on the running triumvirate show the modus was conceived on a 3E neo-operational guidepost: Educate, Elevate, and Excel. And players within and outside the Nigerian healthcare sector nod in unmistaken approval of the initiative!

EXAMINING THE 3-E APPROACH:

Educate – the program develops master educators equipped with the cutting-edge knowhow, skills, and pedagogies to inspire and mentor the next generation of nurses in Nigeria.

Elevate – the program strengthens nursing education resources and standards; and ensure excellence and consistency across partner health institutions through cross-fertilization of ideas.

Excel – the partnership fosters a culture of innovation, research, and continuous improvement by positioning Nigeria’s nurse educators for global competitiveness.

Findings show that both the funding and administering agencies [Health Carousel and NANNNA] share the common vision of growing the population of nurse educators in Nigeria to cater for the ever-increasing health needs.

As a visionary global-healthcare agency, the Health Carousel Foundation’s scholarship intervention was mooted in 2021 and launched in Nigeria in 2023 – with funding for the pilot cohort of 19 scholars. Observers have praised the development as a proactive corporate social responsibility on the part of Health Carousel Foundation– under the leadership of Andrew Lingo and his management team at Health Carousel – which if sustained, would mitigate the perennial shortage of nurse educators, arising from their depletion by foreign recruiting agents – with attendant negative consequences on the local healthcare industry. In any case, the sustainability of the scheme is highly envisaged as the Foundation has already released the fund for the 50 candidates approved for the 2024 cohort sponsorship. Findings show that the tuitions for a total of 36 scholars [with proof of admission into various institutions] have already been remitted by NANNNA, the managing agency of the scholarship program.

In furtherance of the sustainability, following is a letter signed by Dr. Ngozi Mbibi [NANNNA’s Board Secretary], in prove of commencement of the 2024 Cohort scholarship, which was sighted in the course of this inquiry:

‘’ Dear Scholarship recipient,

Re: Notification on the application for scholarship to study professional Diploma in Education [PDE], Post Graduate Diploma in Education [PGDE], or Post Graduate Diploma in Nursing Education [PGNE], funded by the U.S.-based nonprofit organization, Health Carousel Foundation.

It is with pleasure we notify you of your success in the scholarship to for the above listed programs funded by the U.S.-based nonprofit, Health Carousel, and administered by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America [NANNNA].

Following your application to the Health Carousel and screening, you have been accepted into the 2nd Cohort of the NANNNA-Health Carousel scholarship because you provided all the required documents.

The scholarship covers tuition and books for the PGDE program. We are requesting that you submit the payment vouchers for your course to NANNNA at nannna.scholarship@gmail.com for review and payment.

You can request your school registrar to provide the total official payments for the one year course and we will pay directly to the school. Alternatively, if you have started your program and made payment already, please scan and submit your receipts of payment for a refund.

We will be receiving feedback from your school administrators intermittently as you progress. Congratulations once again!

NOTE: all scholarship participants are hereby reminded that registration with Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria [NMCN] as a Nurse Educator is an expectation at the end of the course paid for by this scholarship. Your information would be submitted to the NMCN for that purpose.

Please accept the assurances of Health Carousel and NANNNA Board of Directors and good luck with your studies.

Sincerely,

ngozimbibi

Dr. Ngozi Mbibi.’’

PRAISE FOR THE PROGRAM & ENVISAGED GAINS:

Indeed, the extent of shortage of nurse educators in Nigeria has been worrisome, especially in recent time. Little wonder system players are enthused at the emergence of a program meant to hone the expertise of present and successive generations of nurses to inject dynamism in the nation’s health care frontiers. Ngati Samuel – a general surgeon and member of the Research & Statistics Committee of Nigerian Medical Association, agrees that with the coming of the scholarship program, Nigeria’s healthcare landscape will witness a projected estimate of 30%-40% increase in nurse educators – which would in turn result in a 35%-45% ratio of nurse educators to available nursing institutions in the country.

furthering the manifold gains of the new development, Akpan Namso, an outgoing Asst. Director, Nursing Services at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital [UNTH Enugu] commended Health Carousel and NANNNA for the timely intervention – ‘’…given the acute shortage of nurse educators even here in our facility.’’ She envisages the following as eventual gains from the initiative:

. Enhanced capacity and confidence of Nigerian nurse educators and imbue them with current trends to interface with their colleagues at the global level

. Improved quality and relevance of nursing education that is tailor-made to the Nigerian health environment

. Increased access to skilled, compassionate care for diverse communities in Nigeria – especially among the underserved

. Strengthened healthcare systems that are resilient and responsive to the national needs

Responding to enquiries on his impression on the NANNNA-Health Carousel-NMCN collaboration to shore up the population of Nurse-educators in Nigeria, Kenneth K. Agwu, professor of radiography and medical physics and Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences at the Evangel University Akaeze, Ebonyi State, likened the field of nursing to a garden of flowers, and nurse educators as the gardeners thereon: ‘’Imagine a garden of healing, where skilled nurse educators nurture the growth of compassionate caregivers, cultivating a harvest of health and wellness for Nigeria’s diverse communities.’’

‘’Sustainable capacity-building programs for nurse educators – such as run by Health Carousel, NANNNA, and NMCN becomes the sunshine, water, and fertile soil needed for Nigeria’s healthcare garden to thrive. The program deserves everyone’s prioritizing to ensure a bountiful harvest of skilled nurses and nurse educators, improved health outcomes, and a healthier Nigeria.

ESSENCE OF THE PROGRAMME

In its bid to enthrone the culture of sustainable human development among its present and future members, NANNNA has for the past three years, been scouting for ways and means to stem the continuous erosion of population of local nurses by enabling a good number of them with the requisite qualification, to ultimately become educators in the field of nursing science. To this end, the Health Carousel Foundation’s offer to foot the bills for the annual scholarship program has been a welcome development – especially for Nigeria that is hailed as the world’s largest contributor of nursing workforce to the global community.

TESTIMONIES OF BENEFICIARIES AND ACADEMIC

COORDINATORS OF THE 2023 COHORT:

Members of the 2023 Cohort and their academic coordinators in the participating institutions are full of praise for NANNNA’s foresightedness in initiating the all-important scholarship program as well as persuading the Health Carousel Foundation to agree for increase in the number of beneficiaries for each successive cohort – which attests to the Foundation’s goodwill for the nursing profession in Nigerian.

Of particular fascination to stakeholders in the nation’s healthcare system is NANNNA’s transparency and integrity in the administration of the scholarship program. The following testimonies validate this.

NWAFOR ORIZU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION NSUGBE:

Nurse[s] Okoroikpa Miracle Ijeoma and Okafor Obianuju Makuochukwu are among the 19 scholars that formed the 2023 cohort of the scholarship. Both studied at the Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe. While Okafor – a clinical instructor at the School of Midwifery [Waterside, Onitsha] earned the professional diploma in education [PDE], Okoroikpa graduated with a postgraduate diploma in education [PGDE].

Nurse Okoroikpa, on responding to prompts said, ‘‘the scholarship award came just when I needed it most. Without that financial lifeline from Health Carousel through NANNNA, I would not have embarked on the postgraduate program in the first place. The miracle of it all is the way I got to know about the program in the first place. I had run into a friend who informed me about it and asked me to fill the form online. I did, but simply dismissed it as one of those things. Truth is, I did not believe it was going to work out. I was therefore surprised to learn that I had been selected as one of the beneficiaries – even without knowing anyone at the NANNNA circle’’.

UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES ONDO

Dr. Mary Idowu Edward, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Sciences Ondo sent the following response to the inquiries on the program.

‘’RE: UPDATE ON NANNNA-HEALTH CAROUSEL SPONSORED POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN NURSING EDUCATION [PGDNE] STUDENTS

Sir,

In response to your inquiry, I wish to inform you that the following postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Education [PGDNE] students were given scholarship by Health Carousel through NANNNA last 2023. The 3 of them are listed below:

Aladenola Folashade Feyintola

Dare Olanike Temitayo

Taiwo Olajumoke Abosede

I write to inform you that their academic work commenced in October 2023. They have just finished writing their second semester examination.

The students are very hard working.

I assure you of a more detailed report on them upon their graduation – that is if it would still be of any use to you.

We appreciate your interest in the beneficiaries of the NANNNA-Health Carousel scholarship program; and in the University of Medical Sciences Ondo.

Sincerely,

Mary Idowu Edward

Ag. Dean,

Nursing Faculty of Nursing Sciences.’’

THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY:

Two candidates – Asani Peace omosede and Nwogu Ifeyinwa Pascaline studied at the Benin Centre of NOUN. While Nurse Asani was admitted with the Matriculation No: NOU232134415, Nurse Nwogu had NOU224071286 and both are to earn the postgraduate diploma in Education [PGDE].

Attesting to the conducts of the duo, their Administrator and Director of the Benin City Study Centre of NOUN, Dr. Akeem Disu said: ‘’ the academic performance of the two students are very encouraging. I must use this opportunity to appreciate the good works of NANNNA and Health Carousel by reaching out to some of our students; and hope that more of them would be included in the sponsorship in the coming years.’’

‘’OUR TESTIMONY TO HEALTH CAROUSEL & NANNNA

A colleague of mine at work told me about the advert for a scholarship by NANNNA as published in the Nurses World Journal: a publication of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

I put in my application and was among the successful beneficiaries of the scholarship. Since then, I have benefited immensely with the funds from NANNNA as all my tuition fees from start to finish of my studies were taken care of with the funds released by NANNNA.

I am currently studying at the National Open University of Nigeria (Benin Study Centre) for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) with the Matriculation Number: NOU 232134415. I am now in my final semester and about rounding off my studies. Hopefully, the graduation ceremony will take place in March, 2025 according to the school calendar.

For my employment, I am currently employed at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and assigned a tutor at the School of Post Basic Nursing Studies [Accident and Emergency Nursing Program] in the rank of Assistant Director, Nursing Education.

I and my colleague, Nurse Nwogu Ifeyinwa Pascaline work hard to justify NANNNA’s investment on us; and our academic director at the Benin Study Centre of NOUN, Dr Akeem B. Disu, (adisu@noun.edu.ng), is very happy with us and has been motivating us.

We sincerely appreciate our sponsors and NANNNA for the opportunity given to us to be benefit from the scholarship funds. May God bless them both for their sacrifice toward developing nurse educators in Nigeria and improving the quality of healthcare in Nigeria. I look forward to seeing everyone that has contributed to my sponsorship you at my graduation ceremony next year.

ASANI OMOSEDE PEACE

Another beneficiary scholar, Nurse Okafor Obianuju Makuochukwu of Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe sent in the following SMS in response to her call:

‘’ I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible support and generosity that NANNNA and the donors have shown by sponsoring my Professional Diploma in Education program. Their contribution has not only eased the financial burden of pursuing further education but has also enabled me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and professional development.

I am truly honored and humbled to have been chosen as a recipient of their generosity. Their investment in my education will have a lasting impact not only on my career but also on the future generations of students that I will have the privilege to teach.

I promise to make the most of this opportunity and strive to become the best educator I can be. NANNNA and Health Carousel’s supports have motivated me to work harder, dream bigger, and never stop reaching for excellence in my profession.

Once again, thank them from the bottom of my heart for believing in me and investing in my future. Their kindness and generosity will always be remembered and cherished.

With sincere appreciation,

Ezeokeke Obianuju Makuochukwu.

And beneficiary scholars from the South-South Zone schooling at the University of Uyo sent in their response as found hereunder:

‘’JOINT RESPONSE OF THE NIGERIAN NURSE-EDCUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP BENEFICIARIES FROM SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA: UNIVERSITY OF UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

We the scholarship beneficiary nurses undergoing training on postgraduate diploma in education (PGD) for 2021 /2022 academic session at the University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, hereby extend our profound gratitude to the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA) in collaboration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria under the kind sponsorship by Health Carousel Foundation.

We were privileged to see the scholarship advertisement on our different professional WhatsApp platforms.

Therefore, we are using this opportunity to testify that the funding of health carousel through NANNNA indeed enabled us to achieve our academic pursuit with ease – which included tuition fees, books and now on our research projects.

We have recently concluded our internal project defense on which corrections have been effected. We are right waiting for our projects to be sent for external moderation; after which our results will be computed to mark the end of our academic work and eventual convocation.

Hopefully, as soon as our final results are computed and released, we shall notify our sponsors for onward registration and licensing by the NMCN.

On this note, all of us schooling at the University of Uyo, courtesy of the sponsorship of Health Carousel and NANNNA, pray for God to bless and prosper your organizations beyond your imaginations. Thank you!

And if it’s not too much to ask, we would like to look forward to the time this same kindness would also be extended to Nigerian nurses for their master’s level degree programs. Once again, thank you for ever thinking of empowering us!

In closing, we are also very grateful to the Director of the Institute of Education and Professional Development, University of Uyo – Prof. P. l. Enang, as well as our PGD Coordinator, Associate Professor Stella Nwosu.

NOTE: below are details of beneficiaries of the scholarship in Akwa Ibom State.

NURSE AKPAN ITORO

2020/2021 Academic Session with Matriculation Number: 20/PGD/ED/115.

Currently working at Akwa Ibom State College of Nursing Sciences, Anua Campus as Clinical Instructor