WINDHOEK, May 13 — Namibia will continue to promote and safeguard the wellbeing of nurses, midwives and other health care workers by ensuring that appropriate safety policies and guidelines are in place and consistently implemented, a government official said Thursday.
The pledge was made by Namibia’s Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula in a statement as the country joined the rest of the world for the commemoration of International Nurses Day which fell on Thursday.
“The role that nurses play in promoting health, prevention of illness, treatment of diseases and rehabilitation of the infirmed has been demonstrated since time immemorial,” he said, as he identified them as leaders and key players in the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary health teams.
According to Shangula, the tenacity and resilience of nurses and midwives have been tested in times of disease outbreaks and other health emergencies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I call on all nurses, midwives and other health care workers to continue to uphold the vision of providing quality health care,” he said while thanking them for their dedication and compassion to the profession.
According to Shangula, for 2022, the country’s celebrations will reflect on progress in midwifery over the past 100 years under the theme: “100 Years of Progress.”
“Namibia prioritizes maternal and newborn health. Notwithstanding some challenges, the successes of the past years are commendable and we applaud the midwives for a job well-done in saving the lives of mothers and their newborn babies,” he concluded.
International Nurses Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing and marks the contributions nurses make to humanity. This year it was commemorated under the theme: “Nurses: A Voice to Lead — Invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health.” (Xinhua)
Namibia observes International Nurses Day with pledge to promote wellbeing of health care workers
