The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN, has urged nurses to avoid traveling to countries currently at war in their quest to leave Nigeria amid the japa syndrome

While appealing to nursing graduates not leave the country after the completion of their programmes, the Council urged them to endeavour to contribute their own quota to the development of healthcare system of the country.

The Registrar of NMCN, Dr Ndagi Alhassan, who stated this during the induction and oath taking ceremony of graduating professional nurses of Elizade University, specifically urged them against traveling to Russia, Ukraine, Israel and other volatile countries.

With no fewer than 69 nursing graduates of the institution inducted at the ceremony, the registrar, who was represented by a director in the Council, Dr Olukemi Awe, said, “Your choice to enter this noble profession is not just a career path, but a calling.

“This is the beginning of your professional career as a nurse will be privileged for you to serve anywhere in the world, but please don’t leave the country (japa). Let’s all take care of Nigeria. We still need you in Nigeria. Do not ‘japa’ for now.

“But you see, if you still want to japa don’t go to Russia, don’t go to Ukraine, don’t go to Israel. Please, I’m just begging you. But we need you here. We want you to come and serve us here. Do not allow what you have achieved today be the end of the road for you.”

Avoid war torn countries if you must japa – NMCN tells Nigerian nurses