Fifty four nurses from the Department of Nursing Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, have been formally inducted into the profession by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria following an oath taking ceremony held on Monday in Sokoto.

The Registrar of the council, Ndagi Alhassan, administered the oath of allegiance and congratulated the graduates, urging them to uphold the ethical standards binding on every nurse in Nigeria.

"As you embark on your nursing journey, remember that your profession is not just a career, but a call to make a difference in lives," Alhassan stated.

Vice Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Prof Bashir Garba, assured the inductees that the institution had equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to excel in the profession. Garba stressed that nursing demands compassion, continuous learning, and professionalism, reminding the graduates of the weight of responsibility they were assuming.

"As future leaders in healthcare, you must bear the crucial responsibility of caring for the vulnerable and the ailing. I urge you to uphold the values of compassion, empathy, and kindness that define your profession," Garba noted.

"Remember, nursing is not just a job, it is a calling that requires dedication, resilience, and deep commitment to serving others," he added.

The Vice Chancellor also called on the government to provide hospitals with adequate facilities to support quality healthcare delivery.

Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Abubakar Wurno, described nurses as central to achieving universal health coverage, noting their critical role in strengthening primary healthcare and addressing maternal and child health challenges.

"Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, frontline caregivers who promote treatment, comfort, intervention, hope, disease prevention, health promotion, and community based care," Abubakar Wurno disclosed.

Speaking on behalf of the inductees, Maryam Bashir Harisu described the ceremony as a milestone in their academic journey and the beginning of a lifelong career.

The event was attended by the President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Haruna Mamman; Provost of the UDUS College of Health Sciences, Prof Abdulgafar Jimoh; and Head of the Department of Nursing Sciences, Dr Awwalu Muhammad, among other dignitaries.