Namibia celebrates International Nurses Day
Minister lauds healthcare workers
The day is celebrated every year on 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, and this year is themed 'Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health'.
Namibian nurses join their peers across the world in commemorating International Nurses Day today, 12 May - the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.
According to health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula, the role nurses play in promoting health, preventing illness, treating diseases and the rehabilitation of the infirmed has been demonstrated since time immemorial.
“Nurses are members of an interdisciplinary team that include doctors, dentists, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists and other related professionals who manage patients and clients daily.
“Their tenacity and resilience have been tested in times of disease outbreaks, and other health emergencies, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Celebrated this year under the theme 'Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health', Shangula extended profound gratitude to the nursing fraternity on behalf of the ministry on the occasion.
“We thank nurses for their dedication and compassion to the profession and give the assurance that their service is recognised and appreciated,” he said.
Challenges
During the rise of Covid-19, nurses have been increasingly affected.
According to Namibia Nurses Union (Nanu) acting secretary-general, Junias Shilunga, the challenges facing nurses are many.
"These challenges include a shortage of nurses in our healthcare facilities; the government is still using the old staff establishment, which does not speak to the current growing population.
“There are also long working hours which they are not being compensated for," he said.
Safety in the workplace continues to be a thorn in nurses’ sides because of a lack of safety measures, Shilunga added.
"The healthcare facilities need to be guarded by police officials and not private security personnel who are not well equipped and trained to protect nurses during confrontations with the members of the public.
“All this has affected the performance of nurses as they are working under extreme pressure with little support from the government," he said.
Shilunga called on government to invest in nursing by recruiting more nursing staff and increasing their salaries.
Covid battlefield
Nurses all over Namibia agree that the last few years have been challenging.
"Nursing during Covid has been extremely traumatic and so draining. Many patients spent weeks on end in the ICU alone without seeing their loved ones.
“We form bonds with them and when they pass on after a tremendous battle, they take what feels like your insides with them," one nurse said.
Another recalled horrifying moments when patients needed oxygen and the hospitals had run out.
"We would try our best, but some of the oxygen supplies didn't work for certain patients because their lungs were damaged beyond repair. We hope the experience doesn't repeat itself.”
A retired nurse with more than 30 years of experience said because staff shortages and a higher risk of exposure to infectious diseases, nurses’ morale has been greatly affected.
According to health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula, the role nurses play in promoting health, preventing illness, treating diseases and the rehabilitation of the infirmed has been demonstrated since time immemorial.
“Nurses are members of an interdisciplinary team that include doctors, dentists, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists and other related professionals who manage patients and clients daily.
“Their tenacity and resilience have been tested in times of disease outbreaks, and other health emergencies, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Celebrated this year under the theme 'Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health', Shangula extended profound gratitude to the nursing fraternity on behalf of the ministry on the occasion.
“We thank nurses for their dedication and compassion to the profession and give the assurance that their service is recognised and appreciated,” he said.
Challenges
During the rise of Covid-19, nurses have been increasingly affected.
According to Namibia Nurses Union (Nanu) acting secretary-general, Junias Shilunga, the challenges facing nurses are many.
"These challenges include a shortage of nurses in our healthcare facilities; the government is still using the old staff establishment, which does not speak to the current growing population.
“There are also long working hours which they are not being compensated for," he said.
Safety in the workplace continues to be a thorn in nurses’ sides because of a lack of safety measures, Shilunga added.
"The healthcare facilities need to be guarded by police officials and not private security personnel who are not well equipped and trained to protect nurses during confrontations with the members of the public.
“All this has affected the performance of nurses as they are working under extreme pressure with little support from the government," he said.
Shilunga called on government to invest in nursing by recruiting more nursing staff and increasing their salaries.
Covid battlefield
Nurses all over Namibia agree that the last few years have been challenging.
"Nursing during Covid has been extremely traumatic and so draining. Many patients spent weeks on end in the ICU alone without seeing their loved ones.
“We form bonds with them and when they pass on after a tremendous battle, they take what feels like your insides with them," one nurse said.
Another recalled horrifying moments when patients needed oxygen and the hospitals had run out.
"We would try our best, but some of the oxygen supplies didn't work for certain patients because their lungs were damaged beyond repair. We hope the experience doesn't repeat itself.”
A retired nurse with more than 30 years of experience said because staff shortages and a higher risk of exposure to infectious diseases, nurses’ morale has been greatly affected.
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