Senior Nurses and Midwives team up for a resilient health system in all hospitals

Freetown, Aug. 3, 015 (MOHS) – Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation II Madam Madina Rahman has called on nurses and midwives to work as a team in building a resilient health system in all government health facilities and peripheral health units in the country. (Photo: Cross section of Senior Nurses and Midwives)

Addressing the high profiled Nurses and Midwives across the country at a meeting held at Kona Lodge in Freetown, Madam Rahman observed the low standard in the nursing profession due to disunity among those that should serve as role models, and encouraged her audience to bury their past differences and forge ahead for excellence with the task to building a resilient health system in Sierra Leone.

Team work, the Deputy Minister said is the key element to achieve the Ministry’s desired goal and called on the senior nurses to demonstrate leadership in their various duty stations. She also expressed the need to respect the Chain of Command.

The standard of nursing, she noted needs to be upgraded to a satisfactory level noting that they form the largest workforce in the medical profession. She said 6,432 forms the trained and qualified cadre, less Nursing Aides and trained Volunteers.

“Nursing is a calling and unless we pull our resources together we would not give the profession a better footing to regain its past glory”, opined Madam Rahman.

She underscored the importance of competitive responsibility and output, stressing the need for commitment and dedication to service, and disclosed plans for an Annual and Quarterly Award ceremony for hard work as a motivation and recognition on merit.

Madam Rahman told her audience that the Ministry is poised to provide a conducive working environment for its workers, and a plan for a Trust Fund to assist nurses with their problems, adding that as colleagues they should all strive to bring the standard of nursing to a satisfactory level.

The Chief Nursing Officer, Matron Hossinatu Kanu commended the Minister, the Deputy Ministers and the Top Management Team for organizing such a meeting pointing out that bringing Senior Nurses together would go a long way in bringing laurels to the profession.

She paid tribute to the 153 Nurses and Midwives who lost their lives during the height of the Ebola tragedy and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

Senior nurses, she reiterated have a role to play to making the image of the profession credible.

She said their role as nurses is imbedded within the five pillars of the Ministry’s Reform and Reconstruction plan as reflected on patient and health workers safety, the health workforce of all cadre, Essential service delivery, Making sure patient care are delivered, Community ownership and participation, and surveillance among others.

The Registrar, Nurses and Midwives Board, Hannah Valcarcel reminded her audience about issues affecting the growth of nursing, stressing the need for capacity building, clinical training and the desired support to all nursing training institutions.

The Principal National School of Midwifery, Dr. Joan Shepherd in her presentation outlined all the critical issues affecting the nursing profession describing nursing as a lifelong indispensable career. The nurse she said must be dedicated, compassionate and accountable.

She noted the critics made by the public on their ethical behavior and conduct, the drop in standard, low motivation, the clients as consumer services, and the need for a solid foundation, for nurses and midwives to be able to make the necessary impact to attain the Agenda for Prosperity.

Dr. Shepherd encouraged her colleagues to strive for excellence and take pride in their work.

Other speakers include the President of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association, Mr. Senessie Margao, the Dean Faculty of Nursing, College of Medicines and Allied Health Sciences, Dr. Joseph Edem Otta and Retired Under Secretary General, Programmes and Operations, Sierra Leone Red Cross Society and Chairman for the occasion, Haja Kultumi Karim.

General discussions and the way forward formed part of the meeting.

JAK/KK/MOHS/SLENA

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