Regional Launch of the 2017 Nurses Week celebration in the Upper East Region

This year’s Nurses Week celebration has been launch in the Upper East Region, with a call on government to address the numerous problems confronting the Nursing profession. 

The launch was in line with the International Nurses Day, and the founder, Florence Nightingale’s, birth Day. 

History tells us that, Nightingale, born on the 12^th of May 1820 was a soldier. She went to the Crimean War in 1853 and one of her major roles was to treat her colleague soldiers and civilians that sustained various degrees of injuries. She died on the 13^th August, 1910. 

This year’s celebrations was launched under the locale theme “Health Implication of Galamsey and the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals Nurses and Midwives. Acting in one Voice with stakeholders”. 

According to the Regional Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, GRNMA, Mr. Thomas Lambone, 

Nurses and Midwives are not only celebrating a grand event of achievements and challenges, but see the celebration as a sacred moment of reflections and stocktaking of what Nurses and Midwives’ contribute to brighten Nightingale’s philosophy of patient care and devotion to duty. 

This he said, calls for dialogue with government and stakeholders, to reach a common grounds that will promote cardinal relationship and mutual respect. 

Mr. Lambone, emphasized the critical need for strong recognition of what nurses and midwives do on daily basis, which has blatantly been undermined by government and some employers. 

He stressed that meeting patients need are basic to their care principles, yet they are often been accused of neglecting their duties. 

Mr. Lambone reminded his colleagues in the noble profession of customer care services, legal implication of their conduct on quality care.

 He advised the few bad ones among them to sit up and be mindful of their professional code of conducts and live by those tenants. 

For Nurses and Midwives to remain relevant in this 21^st century, they must rise up and embrace topical issues to enable them advocate effectively. 

 To be effective advocates, they must join the political wagon and filled up in the decision making process so as to lobby, negotiate and advocate for issues that affect their communities