The President of the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health , Prof. Preye Fiebai, emphasized that nurses in Nigeria are not authorized to independently administer fertility treatments in medical facilities, clarifying that their role is strictly to assist physicians.
According to The PUNCH, this statement follows the recent court case involving an alleged fake fertility nurse, Blessing David-Agwa, who is accused of defrauding women of over N28.2 million.
She was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Enugu State after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency transferred her case for further investigation.
According to the EFCC, David-Agwa allegedly used forged certificates from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to pose as a certified fertility nurse, duping more than 45 women.
Prof. Fiebai expressed concern over the growing number of fertility clinics run by unregistered practitioners, noting the potential harm to women, especially those who are older or eager to conceive.
“Nurses are trained to assist physicians in administering treatment to patients. They are certainly not qualified to treat infertility on their own,” Fiebai stressed. He also urged individuals to verify the qualifications of healthcare providers offering fertility services.
The AFRH president attributed the increasing number of such unauthorized practitioners to gaps in law enforcement, which he believes contribute to the problem.
“Unfortunately, the poor situation regarding law enforcement has made the country a lawless one. I would advise patients seeking fertility treatment to ensure that they verify the authenticity and qualification of all health professionals offering services before they utilize them,” he warned.
Reports indicate a rise in infertility despite Nigeria’s historically high fertility rate. Although the World Bank recorded a fertility rate of 5.4 births per woman in 2018, the World Health Organization’s 2023 data indicates that about 17.5 percent of the global adult population, or roughly one in six individuals, faces infertility.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018 revealed that around 25 percent of married women experience primary infertility, with another 16 percent facing secondary infertility.
