Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Anambra State Council, has appealed to the state government to implement policies that will enhance the welfare and condition of service of its members.
The Chairman of the association, Mrs. Edith Onwuka made the appeal during the grand finale of the International Nurses Week celebration in Awka.
Onwuka also urged the state government to make deliberate efforts that would ensure quality healthcare delivery across the state.
She said that members of the association were faced with challenges which needed urgent attention by the government to ensure industrial harmony in the state.
She also said that developments in the health sector had made it imperative for the government to invest in nursing with a view to building a resilient and highly qualified workforce.
According to her, investment in the sector will transform the health system to meet the needs of individuals and communities.
“As we commemorate this event, we wish to appeal to the governor to look into the issues affecting nurses as he takes stock of challenges in different sectors.
“Poor remuneration of nurses and midwives has led to mass migration of highly qualified nurses to either federal health institutions or outside the country.
“This has adversely affected health care delivery as the limited number of nurses we have here are overwhelmed by work in our hospitals,” she said.
Onwuka stressed the need to ensure that the health system guaranteed and promoted nurses’ rights to a safe working environment, decent wages and full participation in decision making in the health industry.
Recall that the International Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6 to May 12 to mark the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
Nightingale is credited for modern professional nursing due to her tireless work during and after the Crimean War.
The day is also set aside to acknowledge the contributions of nurses the world over, as well as intensify calls to improve the working conditions of nurses.
Ikengaonline reports that the theme for the 2022 celebration is ‘Nurses: A voice to Lead, Invest in Nursing and Respect the Right to Global Health.’
