Young graduates of Nursing and Midwifery have faulted the National Council of Nurses and Midwives (NCNM) for delaying to issue licenses to allow them apply for jobs.

They said several months had passed since they sat for licensing examinations but results were yet to be out.

"I missed many job opportunities because of lack of a practising license. We knew before sitting exams that NCNM always delays results. We had expressed our worries during their visit to our university and they promised to work on it but nothing has been done,” one of the nurses currently volunteering at Rwanda Military Hospital told The New Times.

Another complainant, who preferred anonymity for fear of retribution, said he graduated five months ago but is yet to get a practicing certificate.

The complainants include health workers seeking license or certificates.

On Tuesday, scores of the affected nurses who converged at NCNM, told The New Times that they registered in 2013 but are yet to get their certificates.

"I registered and paid the required fees two years ago but I am yet to get my certificate,” said one of them holding a letter stopping her from work because she has no professional license.

NCNM’s administrative and financial manager, Jean Bosco Munyandinda, denied the allegations, saying the council has a major task, especially setting exams, marking, compiling and grading them.

"Being late or on time depends on personal perceptions and wishes. They can even say that they prefer the results a day after doing exams, but that is impossible because of many factors,” he said.

He added that NCNM was working hard to deliver timely service.

"The work is enormous. Over 1,000 people from Midwifery, General Nursing and Mental Health Nursing sat licensing exams in October and each did three papers and a practical exam. We outsourced 30 examiners to do the work and now they are compiling marks. We want to publish results by the end of this month,” he added.

On the crowds of people at their offices this week, Munyandinda explained they had failed to collect their documents and only came in big numbers after the Ministry of Health’s announcement compelling every health worker to be registered under the professional body.

"We have been calling on people to pick their documents; we ran announcements on our website but people did not come. When someone meets the requirements, it usually takes a month to get their license,” he said.

Nathan Mugume, the head of the communication division at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, confirmed that last week the ministry reminded all health workers to register as part of efforts to weed out unqualified workers.

NCNM was established in 2008 by an act of Parliament tasking the body to regulate nursing and midwifery professions by ensuring that nurses and midwives are capable of providing effective services as well as safeguarding the integrity of the profession.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw