By Rachel Kakraba
Thursday, May 12, is International Nurses’ Day. A day which is to celebrate the incredible difference nursing staff make to patients’ lives across the globe. On the Occasion of the day, President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has placed an urgent call to the Ministry of finance to give financial clearance to the recruitment of the backlog of nurses who have completed their training. This, she said, is to ensure their argument for health Care delivery in the country.
Speaking to GBC News, Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo observed investing in the training of nurses without subsequent employment is a waste of the taxpayers’ money, as well as contributes to nurses living under harsh economic conditions. Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo added that the situation creates a shortage of nurses, especially in rural areas hence the need for the government to heed to their calls.
“The current government was able to clear a whole backlog of nurses and midwives who were awaiting to be posted, but we still have some of the 2019 graduates who are awaiting to be employed and when you go to the periphery you realize we don’t have enough of nurses.”
Nurses’ Day
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who is the founder of modern nursing. Florence Nightingale was an English nurse, social reformer and statistician who initiated the key pillars of modern nursing. She started working as a nurse in charge of the wounded British and allied soldiers during the Crimean War (1853-56). Known as the Lady with the Lamp, Nightingale spent most of her time comforting and caring for the injured. She also gained fame as a trainer of nurses and manager of modern nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) started the celebration of International Nurses Day in 1965, to celebrate the sacrifices and selflessness of nurses.
On the professional competence of nurses in the face of seemingly sour relationships between the Nurse and the patient, Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo said the association constantly invests in training to ensure professionalism at all times. This she said is centered on respect and dignity.
“We do a lot in terms of training to equip them with requisite knowledge and skills that they need to practice. One of the areas that we also look at is customer care, in which there is embedded the need to accord patient’s the requisite rights that she or he has within the scheme of health. Nurses have a critical role to play in Primary Health Care delivery, often being the first – and only – health professional a patient will see. They contribute to research, disease prevention, treating the injured, administering palliative care, and more. They are the true unsung heroes on the front lines of disease prevention and care.”
Meanwhile, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti is calling on African governments to commit necessary investments to help improve the attractiveness of the nursing profession. This he said will require proper equipment, better working conditions, appropriate education, upskilling opportunities, and job creation. He said leadership of nurses needs to be optimized to drive the nursing agenda across education, employment, policy and practice. Dr. Moeti noted nine million more nurses and midwives are needed to realize health-related global Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. While celebrating all nurses in the African Region, WHO expresses appreciation to the unwavering dedication in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
