Recently, social media posts circulated on platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook, alleging that approximately 700 Nigerian nurses in the UK had faked their qualifications to work in the country. The posts also mentioned concerns about Nigeria being a “red list” country for the recruitment of health professionals.
However, a fact-check by Reuters has revealed that these claims are false. The National Health Service (NHS) declined to comment on the allegations and referred the matter to an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), an independent body responsible for regulating nursing and midwifery professionals in the UK.
The investigation found that 48 registered nurses were under suspicion of exam fraud and will be reviewed by an independent panel. This issue is related to the NMC’s oversight, not the NHS. Additionally, 669 applicants to the NMC register were believed to have achieved their scores fraudulently in a computer-based test (CBT) administered by the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria.
It’s important to clarify that the investigation’s focus is on the CBT scores and does not necessarily imply that the nurses had faked their original nursing or midwifery qualifications. The investigation is ongoing, and no final decisions have been made.
In summary, the claim that 700 Nigerian nurses in the UK faked their qualifications is debunked as false, based on the findings of the NMC’s investigation.
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